Zoox asks federal regulators for exemption to launch a commercial robotaxi service

In Brief

Zoox has asked national regulators for an exemption that would let the Amazon-owned autonomous conveyance institution to commercially deploy its custom-built robotaxis, which deficiency accepted controls similar pedals and a steering wheel.

The exemption petition was first reported by Bloomberg. A Zoox spokesperson confirmed that it has submitted a petition for a “555 exemption” and continues to enactment intimately with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration done this caller exemption process. 

A NHTSA spokesperson told TechCrunch that Zoox applied for a impermanent exemption from 8 Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards applicable to its rider car equipped with an automated driving system. NHTSA is reviewing Zoox’s exertion and volition people a announcement seeking nationalist remark aft the bureau conducts its archetypal review.

The petition follows 2 milestones that puts Zoox person to operating a commercialized robotaxi service.

Earlier this month, Zoox launched a free robotaxi service that is unfastened to the nationalist successful Las Vegas. And successful August, NHTSA gave Zoox an exemption to show its custom-built robotaxis connected nationalist roads.

While the August exemption cleared up a longstanding statement implicit whether Zoox’s custom-built autonomous vehicles complied with national centrifugal conveyance information standards, it lone covered probe and demonstrations connected nationalist roads. This latest exertion is abstracted and would broaden the scope and pave the mode for Zoox to motorboat a commercialized robotaxi service.

NHTSA’s exemption successful August was portion of the agency’s expanded Automated Vehicle Exemption Program, which allows for objection of its vehicles connected nationalist roads.

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