Some robotaxis approved to operate without steering wheels and losing the brake pedal could be next
Summary
Federal regulators have approved Amazon’s Zoox self-driving cars to start charging customers for robotaxi rides without steering wheels once local permissions are secured. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is also considering rules to allow robotaxis to operate without brake pedals, aiming to support safe autonomous vehicle development.Key Facts
- Zoox, owned by Amazon, has received federal approval to charge for rides in its fully autonomous vehicles without steering wheels.
- These Zoox robotaxis feature four inward-facing seats and have been giving free rides in Las Vegas and San Francisco since last year.
- Zoox can deploy up to 2,500 vehicles without steering wheels over the next two years as it demonstrates safety.
- The NHTSA proposed a rule last month to allow robotaxis to run without brake pedals, but it is still under review.
- NHTSA aims to balance innovation with safety through guidance, enforcement, and performance standards.
- Amazon bought Zoox for $1.2 billion and plans to produce up to 10,000 robotaxis per year near Silicon Valley.
- Waymo, owned by Alphabet (Google’s parent), is the current industry leader with robotaxi operations in multiple cities.
- More than 500,000 people have already ridden in Zoox vehicles.
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