Zoox, an autonomous vehicle company owned by Amazon, has formally requested a federal exemption to commercially deploy its custom-designed robotaxis, which are notable for lacking traditional driving controls such as steering wheels and pedals. This move signifies a pivotal step toward the widespread adoption of autonomous ride-hailing services.
The exemption request, initially reported by Bloomberg, has been confirmed by a Zoox spokesperson. The company has submitted a petition for a 555 exemption and is actively collaborating with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) throughout this new exemption process. An NHTSA representative informed TechCrunch that Zoox has applied for a temporary exemption from eight Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) pertinent to its passenger vehicle equipped with an automated driving system. The agency is currently reviewing Zoox’s application and plans to publish a notice seeking public comment following its initial assessment.
This exemption request follows two significant milestones for Zoox. Earlier this month, the company launched a free robotaxi service open to the public in Las Vegas. In August, the NHTSA granted Zoox an exemption to demonstrate its custom-built robotaxis on public roads. While the August exemption resolved longstanding debates over the compliance of Zoox’s autonomous vehicles with federal motor vehicle safety standards, it was limited to research and demonstration purposes. The current application aims to expand this scope, paving the way for Zoox to initiate a commercial robotaxi service.
