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The robotaxi competition is intensifying in San Francisco and is poised to spread to the East Bay.

The New York Times reports that Amazon’s Zoox robot taxis will start a free test program in the city tomorrow. The distinctive box-shaped taxis have been tested since September in Las Vegas, with plans to expand to Miami and Austin.

They will join Google’s Waymo robotaxis, whose white Jaguars are already a familiar sight in San Francisco. The city will be the first major city where Waymo and Zoox will compete against each other.

Meanwhile, The Oaklandside reports that the California’s Department of Motor Vehicles last week approved Waymo’s request to conduct “testing and deployment” operations in the East Bay. Alameda, Berkeley, Fremont and Oakland would

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