Zoox, Amazon’s autonomous vehicle brand, has secured approval from the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for limited commercial deployment of its steering-wheel-free robotaxis. This marks the first time such vehicles have been federally authorized for commercial use in the US.

The approval, granted on Thursday, July 30th, 2026, allows Zoox to begin charging customers for rides once it obtains the necessary state and local permissions. As part of the clearance, Zoox received an exemption from federal regulations that require human controls on motor vehicles.

According to Morrison, a representative involved in the approval process, “We can say pretty clearly that the systems in place on the Zoox exceed the equivalent performance requirements of a compliant vehicle. But we still want to make sure that the automated driving system will operate appropriately.” Morrison also noted that Zoox has clearance to deploy up to 2,500 vehicles commercially in each of the next two years.

However, the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety group expressed concerns about Zoox’s plan to operate vehicles without steering wheels or other standard controls, citing a lack of detailed evidence demonstrating the vehicles’ safety on public roads.

Zoox CEO Aicha Evans described the approval as an important milestone for autonomous vehicles. The company plans to launch its commercial robotaxi service in Las Vegas following the federal clearance.

The approval comes amid ongoing safety investigations and challenges faced by other autonomous vehicle companies, including Waymo, which is under federal probe after a self-driving car incident near a school.

Sources