Amazon-Owned Zoox Gets Green Light for Robotaxi Road Testing, Federal Investigation Closed

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has granted Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle maker Zoox permission to conduct road testing of its custom-built robotaxis. At the same time, a federal investigation into the company for violating U.S. road safety regulations has been closed.

According to an announcement released Wednesday, Zoox’s robotaxis lacked traditional manual controls such as a steering wheel and pedals, which previously made them non-compliant with federal safety standards. Zoox had filed for self-certification in July 2022, but NHTSA refused to accept it and launched an investigation in March 2023.

Despite the investigation, Zoox began testing its robotaxis around Foster City, California, from early 2023. Since then, testing areas have expanded to Las Vegas and San Francisco.

Zoox has not yet launched any commercial services, but in San Francisco, the company is already offering robotaxi rides to its employees, as well as to their family and friends. In Las Vegas, it has launched a program called "Zoox Explorer," allowing interested users to try the robotaxi service in its early phase.

The current approval is limited to demonstration and testing purposes, not for commercial deployment.

This approval was made possible under NHTSA's new AV STEP (ADS-Equipped Vehicle Safety, Transparency and Evaluation Program) framework, which aims to ease the path for commercial deployment of autonomous vehicles. The framework allows approval even for vehicles without manual controls, provided safety is ensured.

Zoox spokesperson Whitney Jenkins stated that the company is working closely with NHTSA — first receiving approval for demonstration, and then planning to apply for commercial authorization.

As part of the agreement, Zoox has agreed to withdraw its previous self-certification claims regarding federal safety compliance, and NHTSA has accordingly closed its investigation.

This development is seen as a significant step forward for the future of autonomous vehicle technology.

Source: TechCrunch