- Amazon’s Zoox seeks federal clearance to deploy steering-wheel-free robotaxis
Request would allow up to 2,500 autonomous vehicles on U.S. roads
Move highlights shifting regulatory approach under the Trump administration
Zoox pushes for wider U.S. approval of self-driving cars
Amazon-owned Zoox is seeking expanded clearance from federal regulators to operate thousands of fully autonomous vehicles that lack steering wheels, pedals and other traditional controls — a step that signals the company’s readiness for broader commercial rollout.
In a filing made public today, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said Zoox has requested exemptions from existing vehicle safety standards so its automated driving system can operate cars without a human on board. The company wants to deploy as many as 2,500 self-driving vehicles under the exemption, which would go well beyond its earlier approvals limited to research and demonstration purposes.
Clearing regulatory roadblocks
The request underscores how autonomous-vehicle developers are moving to capitalize on efforts by the Trump administration to ease rules that historically required vehicles to be designed for human drivers. Standards for steering wheels, foot pedals and other equipment have slowed companies including Zoox, General Motors and Tesla as they sought to field vehicles driven entirely by computers.
In August, the Department of Transportation granted Zoox a narrower exemption covering vehicles described as “bi-directional, equipped with an automated driving system, and lacking traditional driving controls.” The latest petition goes further, asking for exemptions from rules on windshield wipers, defogging systems and crash protection equipment.
Building toward mass deployment
The company is already ramping up. In June, Zoox opened a production facility in California to build up to 10,000 purpose-built robotaxis annually. The boxy shuttle-style vehicles feature four inward-facing seats and no conventional driver position.
Granting the new request would mark a significant step toward getting those robotaxis into widespread use. NHTSA said it “has not yet reached any conclusion on the merits of Zoox’s application.”