Amazon-owned Zoox has become the first company in the United States to receive federal approval for the commercial deployment of purpose-built robotaxis that have no steering wheel, pedals or other human driving controls. The exemption from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) allows Zoox to deploy up to 2,500 vehicles annually for the next two years and begin charging passengers, initially in Las Vegas before expanding to other markets subject to state and local approvals. The electric, carriage-style vehicles feature inward-facing seats and are designed entirely around autonomous operation rather than modified versions of conventional cars.
The approval represents an important regulatory milestone for autonomous transportation, but it comes with enhanced safety oversight. NHTSA will require Zoox to provide additional reporting on crashes, inappropriate road stops and other operational problems, and the agency can withdraw the exemption if significant safety concerns emerge. Regulators are particularly focused on how autonomous vehicles interact with emergency services, construction zones, school buses and unusual road conditions following several incidents across the industry. The decision also signals a broader shift in U.S. regulation toward developing safety standards specifically designed for fully autonomous vehicles.
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