Amazon’s Zoox wins NHTSA approval to deploy up to 2,500 robotaxis annually for two years

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has granted Amazon’s autonomous-vehicle unit Zoox a temporary exemption to commercially deploy up to 2,500 driverless robotaxis each year in the United States over the next two years. The approval, announced on July 30, 2026, allows Zoox to operate without traditional controls such as steering wheels and pedals—unlike Waymo’s current fleet, which retains these features. NHTSA emphasized that the exemption is subject to an “enhanced, adaptable oversight structure” that will evolve alongside Zoox’s advancing technology.

Zoox’s vehicles are purpose-built, rectangular, and designed for bidirectional driving, accommodating up to four passengers in carriage-style seating. The company has already been operating robotaxi services in Las Vegas and San Francisco and is conducting testing in several other cities. Zoox previously self-certified the safety of its driverless cars in 2022 and had received a prior exemption for research and demonstration purposes.

The latest NHTSA decision comes as the agency works to develop new safety requirements for autonomous vehicles, aiming to reduce regulatory barriers for purpose-built models from Zoox, Waymo, and Tesla. This move aligns with broader efforts to accelerate the deployment of self-driving technology on public roads.

However, Zoox recently issued a software recall across its fleet of 105 active robotaxis after one vehicle struggled to navigate through heavy smoke, highlighting ongoing challenges in autonomous-vehicle operations, particularly in emergency scenarios. NHTSA’s evolving safety framework is expected to address such operational complexities as the industry matures.