Autonomous vehicle startup Zoox on Monday named Intel veteran Aicha Evans its chief executive, replacing the CEO it removed last year.
The Foster City startup, which is working on designing autonomous vehicles from the ground up and plans a commercial launch in 2020, was founded in 2014 and has more than 700 employees. Last month, it became the first company to receive a permit to transport passengers in a self-driving vehicle in California.
“We believe now more than ever that the full realization of autonomous mobility is a radical departure from last century’s car architecture, and that requires a completely reimagined vehicle and AI solution,” Jesse Levinson, Zoox co-founder, CTO, and president, said in a statement Monday. “I’m excited to partner with Aicha as we forge our own path and show the world what the next generation of mobility looks like.”
Evans was at Intel for 12 years, most recently as chief strategy officer. In July, she told this publication that self-driving technology was one important area of focus for Intel.
“We thank Aicha for her leadership and many contributions to Intel’s success,” an Intel spokeswoman said Monday. “We wish her well in her new endeavors and look forward to continuing to partner with her and Zoox, which is an Intel customer.”
In a statement, Evans said Monday that “Zoox has set itself apart from entrenched players as the only company creating a solution purpose-built to meet the needs of a fully autonomous future. I look forward to helping the company’s exceptionally talented team continue to grow as we unlock more technical and commercial milestones.”
When she comes on board Feb. 26, Evans’ appointment as Zoox’s CEO and as a member of the company’s board will make her one of the most high-profile black female chief executives of a Silicon Valley company. Stacy Brown-Philpot was named CEO of San Francisco-based TaskRabbit in 2016.
Zoox ousted co-founder and CEO Tim Kentley-Klay last August, not too long after the company secured a $500 million round of funding. The company, which has raised more than $750 million to date, gave no official reason for his departure.
