Amazon subsidiary Zoox has received approval from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to begin offering paid rides using its purpose-built autonomous robotaxis, marking a regulatory milestone for the autonomous vehicle industry.
The exemption allows Zoox to commercially operate vehicles designed without traditional driving controls such as steering wheels or pedals.
First Approval for Purpose-Built Robotaxis
According to the NHTSA, Zoox is the first company in the United States to receive an exemption permitting commercial passenger service with a purpose-built autonomous vehicle lacking conventional manual controls.
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The exemption allows the company to deploy up to 2,500 vehicles annually over the next two years.
Unlike other robotaxi operators that use modified production vehicles, Zoox developed its autonomous vehicle from the ground up specifically for driverless operation.
The approval follows several years of coordination between Zoox and U.S. regulators regarding compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), many of which were originally written for vehicles operated by human drivers.
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Commercial Service to Begin in Las Vegas
Zoox plans to begin charging passengers for rides in Las Vegas next month.
The company has not disclosed pricing but indicated fares are expected to be comparable to those offered by established ride-hailing platforms.
Prior to commercial approval, Zoox operated free public ride programs in Las Vegas and San Francisco under testing permits.
The company said those programs have transported more than 500,000 passengers and generated a waiting list of approximately 500,000 prospective users.
Broader Push for Autonomous Vehicle Standards
Alongside the Zoox approval, the NHTSA announced new initiatives aimed at accelerating the development of national safety standards for autonomous vehicles.
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The agency is launching a three-year partnership with SAE Industry Technologies Consortia (ITC), supported by US$5 million in funding, to develop unified performance standards for autonomous vehicle safety.
The NHTSA is also updating its autonomous vehicle guidance, first issued in 2017, with new focus areas including emergency response procedures, safety management systems and remote assistance for driverless fleets.
“NHTSA supports the safe development and deployment of automated vehicles,” said NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison.
“By removing unnecessary barriers to innovation, developing industry guidance, and providing strong enforcement oversight while we create performance requirements, NHTSA is taking a balanced approach to AV regulation.”
