NHTSA autonomous vehicle regulatory approval process
The developments in this story so far, most recent first.
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Milestone
Amazon's Zoox wins first US approval for paid robotaxis without human controls
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Date unknown Background
Zoox recalled its fleet of 105 autonomous vehicles to update software after a NHTSA letter about autonomous vehicles interfering with law enforcement and first responders.
In July, NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison issued a letter directing autonomous vehicle developers to "immediately focus" on fixing interference with law enforcement and first responders.
Following Morrison's letter, Zoox recalled its fleet of 105 autonomous vehicles to update software, citing a potential failure to detect heavy smoke in active emergency scenes.
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Date unknown Background
Zoox previously carried passengers in parts of Las Vegas and San Francisco as part of testing.
Zoox, Amazon's autonomous vehicle unit, previously carried passengers in parts of Las Vegas and San Francisco as part of its testing program, according to NHTSA documents. The company was operating its purpose-built, steering-wheel-free robotaxis in those areas prior to receiving a commercial exemption.
Nearly a year before the commercial exemption, NHTSA had granted Zoox a separate exemption to demonstrate its robotaxis on public roads and give free rides, but not to charge. That earlier clearance allowed Zoox to gather data and refine its technology.
The testing phase in Las Vegas and San Francisco set the stage for Zoox's later approval to charge customers for rides, which came with additional reporting requirements and operational restrictions.