The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced that it is seeking additional information as part of its investigation into Amazon.com’s self-driving Zoox vehicles. The probe was initiated due to instances of unexpected braking that resulted in two rear-end collisions.
NHTSA stated that it is requesting video footage of the crashes and documentation from Zoox pertaining to the vehicles. The agency expressed concern over the potential risk posed by vehicles with unexpected rapid braking, particularly to other road users who may not anticipate or react to such abrupt maneuvers.
See also: NHTSA Probes Amazon’s Zoox Autonomous Vehicles After Collisions
Earlier this month, NHTSA opened a preliminary investigation into 500 Zoox vehicles equipped with automated driving systems following two crashes that resulted in minor injuries to motorcyclists. The incidents involved Toyota Highlanders equipped with the Zoox Automated Driving System, which is undergoing real-world testing using these vehicles.
A Zoox spokesperson did not provide immediate comment on the matter but emphasized earlier the company’s commitment to transparency and collaboration with regulators. Zoox was acquired by Amazon in 2020 for $1.3 billion.
See also: Zoox Expands Self-Driving Car Testing to Include Nighttime Driving, Eyes Competitive Edge
NHTSA noted that both crashes occurred within the Zoox system’s operational design limits and during daylight hours. The investigation will assess the automated driving system’s performance, particularly in rear-end collision scenarios and around vulnerable road users in crosswalks.
In March, Zoox announced an expansion of its vehicle testing in California and Nevada to include a wider area, higher speeds, and nighttime driving, as it competes with Alphabet’s Waymo robotaxis.
NHTSA has previously initiated investigations into the self-certification of a robotaxi by Zoox in 2022 and into the performance of self-driving vehicles by other companies such as General Motors’ Cruise and Alphabet’s Waymo.
See also: Zoox Brings Driverless Robotaxis to Las Vegas, Expanding Operations to Nevada
Additionally, NHTSA is investigating Tesla’s December recall of over 2 million vehicles to install new Autopilot software after receiving reports of 20 crashes involving vehicles with the software update. Autopilot is an advanced driver assistance system that does not enable fully self-driving capabilities but assists with driving tasks such as steering and braking.
