Amazon's Zoox wins first US approval for paid robotaxis without human controls

NHTSA clears up to 2,500 steering-wheel-free Zoox vehicles per year for commercial ride-hailing, marking a milestone for autonomous taxi services.

Talivio News · Global 30 July 2026, 14:52 3 min read

Amazon's autonomous vehicle unit Zoox has secured the first US approval to commercially deploy robotaxis without steering wheels or pedals, a milestone for the self-driving ride industry. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) granted an exemption from federal motor vehicle safety standards requiring human controls, allowing Zoox to charge customers for rides in its purpose-built electric vehicles.

NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison said Zoox received clearance to commercially deploy up to 2,500 vehicles annually for two years. The exemption covers eight federal motor vehicle safety standards, including those for windshield defrosting and light vehicle braking systems. NHTSA determined the Zoox vehicle is as safe as an equivalent vehicle meeting the waived standards.

According to Zoox, its vehicle is electric, carriage-style, with two rows of inward-facing seats and a top speed of 75 miles per hour. Zoox currently carries passengers in parts of Las Vegas and San Francisco as part of testing. The exemption allows Zoox to charge for rides, subject to state and local approvals, but it cannot sell any of the exempted vehicles to the public.

NHTSA is placing additional reporting requirements on Zoox for issues such as crashes or stopping inappropriately on roads. All remote operators must be located in the United States, and Zoox must publish maps indicating where its vehicles are operating. Morrison added that NHTSA has the ability to pull the exemption if major safety issues arise.

Morrison said NHTSA expects to develop the first federal safety standards for automated driving systems by the end of the Trump administration. The agency is also proposing to overhaul some existing rules written with human drivers in mind, such as requiring brake pedals and rear-view mirrors.

Nearly a year earlier, NHTSA gave Zoox an exemption to demonstrate its robotaxis on public roads and give free rides, but not to charge. After Morrison issued a letter in July telling autonomous vehicle developers to focus on fixing interference with law enforcement and first responders, Zoox recalled its fleet of 105 autonomous vehicles to update software due to potential failure to detect heavy smoke in active emergencies.

Tesla has started producing a Cybercab that lacks human controls but has not outlined its path for regulatory approvals. Meanwhile, NHTSA is reviewing an exemption application from Los Angeles-based startup Robomart for a low-speed driverless vehicle capable of carrying up to 500 pounds of goods. The agency also updated its exemption process to allow automakers to temporarily sell a limited number of non-compliant vehicles for testing new technologies, and is partnering with SAE Industry Technologies Consortia on a three-year, $5 million consortium to accelerate creation of AV performance standards.

Updates

Update — 30 July, 14:59

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has proposed updating its federal standards to formally eliminate requirements for steering wheels and manual brake pedals in driverless vehicles. Additionally, Zoox recently disclosed that one of its robotaxis entered an active emergency fire scene in Las Vegas last month.

Update — 30 July, 15:27

NHTSA has proposed updating its standards to remove requirements for steering wheels and manual brake pedals in driverless vehicles. Additionally, the company disclosed that one of its robotaxis drove into an active emergency fire scene in Las Vegas last month.

Update — 30 July, 15:55

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has proposed updating federal standards to formally eliminate requirements for steering wheels and manual brake pedals in driverless vehicles. Separately, Zoox disclosed that one of its robotaxis recently drove into an active emergency fire scene in Las Vegas. Jonathan Morrison stated that the agency is taking a balanced approach to regulation by removing barriers to innovation while maintaining enforcement oversight.

Update — 30 July, 16:30

Update — 30 July, 16:49

The NHTSA exemption granted to Zoox further allows the vehicle to bypass specific safety requirements regarding windshield defrosting and light vehicle braking systems. Additionally, the agency is now reviewing a separate exemption application from the startup Robomart for its low-speed driverless delivery vehicle. In a broader regulatory move, the NHTSA has proposed updating federal standards to eliminate requirements for steering wheels and manual brake pedals in autonomous cars and is partnering with the SAE Industry Technologies Consortia on a $5 million, three-year project to establish national performance standards.

Sources