TechCrunch Industry News SFPD investigating Zoox collision with a parked car; plus, Allbirds is closing its last brick-and-mortar store in SF
Jan 28, 2026
A police probe into a Zoox robotaxi collision with a parked car and the DMV’s regulatory follow-up. The timeline and company account of the January crash, including prior safety recalls. Allbirds cutting physical stores as it shrinks from its mid-2010s heyday. A cultural look at the fading tech-era fashion scene.
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Zoox Robo-Taxi Door Collision
- A Zoox robotaxi collided with a parked car after the driver suddenly opened their door into its path on January 17th in San Francisco.
- The Zoox vehicle carried a Zoox employee passenger who was uninjured while the driver’s hand was reportedly smashed and the vehicle's glass doors were damaged.
Regulatory Scrutiny During Rollout
- Zoox cooperated with local authorities and filed a police report while the California DMV met with the company about the crash.
- The incident highlights regulatory scrutiny as Zoox expands its early robotaxi rollout in San Francisco and Las Vegas.
Early Testing Exposes Operational Risks
- Zoox is in early public-testing stages, offering free rides to early riders in San Francisco and Las Vegas.
- Early deployments can reveal operational issues and public-safety risks that companies must address before scaling.