The San Francisco Police Department is investigating an accident involving a Zoox autonomous vehicle that crashed into the driver’s side door of a parked car. Officers responded to the crash, which occurred at around 2 p.m. local time on January 17 near the intersection of 15th and Mission Streets.
According to reports, the Zoox robotaxi was traveling along 15th street when a street ambassador named Jamel Durden opened the driver’s-side door of his parked 1977 Cadillac Coupe DeVille. Durden’s hand was reportedly injured during the crash, and the Zoox vehicle suffered damage to its glass doors.
The San Francisco Police Department confirmed the Zoox vehicle was carrying a passenger at the time, which had not been previously reported. That passenger was an employee of Zoox and was not injured. The police department declined to provide an incident report, citing the ongoing investigation.
Zoox stated it filed its own police report about the incident and is cooperating with local authorities. The California Department of Motor Vehicles, which regulates autonomous vehicles in the state, has also met with Zoox regarding the crash. Zoox filed a crash report in compliance with California regulations, though that report is not yet publicly available.
According to Zoox, the crash happened when Durden suddenly opened his car door into the path of the robotaxi. The company said the vehicle identified the opening door and tried to avoid it but contact was unavoidable. Zoox stated it offered medical attention to Durden, who allegedly declined. Reports indicate Durden refused medical treatment until his car was towed.
Zoox is in the early stages of building out its robotaxi service in San Francisco. In November, the company started offering free rides to members of the public who are part of its early-rider program, with a similar program operating in Las Vegas.
This rollout has encountered challenges. The Amazon-owned company issued a recall in December to fix an issue where some vehicles were crossing center lanes and blocking crosswalks. Zoox also issued two different software updates during recalls earlier in 2025 before it started offering public rides.
The company emphasized that safety and transparency are foundational, and it is cooperating with authorities to provide an accurate account of the incident.