Amazon's Zoox Receives US Approval for Commercial Deployment of Steering Wheel-less Robotaxis

Amazon's Zoox has received United States approval for the limited commercial deployment of robotaxis that lack human controls such as steering wheels and pedals. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the decision on July 30, following an approval granted on July 29. This authorization allows Zoox to commercially deploy up to 2,500 vehicles per year for the next two years.

The move is considered a milestone for the autonomous ride industry because it permits a vehicle designed from the ground up for driverless operation to operate commercially, rather than relying on modified conventional cars. The electric carriage style vehicle features two rows of inward facing seats and can reach a top speed of 120kmh. While Zoox already tests passengers in parts of San Francisco and Las Vegas, this federal exemption allows the company to charge fees for these services, provided they obtain necessary state and local approvals.

NHTSA administrator Jonathan Morrison stated that the systems on the Zoox vehicles exceed the equivalent performance requirements of compliant vehicles. However, the agency has imposed additional reporting requirements regarding crashes or inappropriate stops on public roads. The NHTSA also requires all remote operators to be located within the US and mandates that Zoox publish maps of its operating areas. The agency noted that it can revoke the exemption if major safety issues arise and clarified that Zoox cannot sell these vehicles to the general public.

Safety remains a primary concern for regulators. In July, the NHTSA issued a letter demanding that autonomous vehicle developers fix patterns of interference with law enforcement and first responders. Other reported issues include robotaxis struggling with flooded roads, construction zones, and stopped school buses. Following this regulatory pressure, Zoox recalled 105 vehicles to update software that may have failed to detect heavy smoke during emergencies.

The NHTSA intends to develop the first federal safety standards for automated driving systems by the end of the Trump administration. The agency is also proposing updates to existing rules that were written for human drivers, including requirements for rear view mirrors and brake pedals.