Zoox, Amazon’s self-driving car unit, is asking U.S. regulators for more freedom to operate vehicles without traditional driving controls. This could be a step toward wider commercial use of its robotaxis.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Zoox has applied for temporary exemptions from several federal safety rules. These rules normally cover things like windshield wipers, defrosting systems, lights, mirrors, braking systems, and crash protection features designed for cars with human drivers.
Zoox wants these exemptions because its vehicles are designed to run fully on an automated driving system without a person behind the wheel.
For now, NHTSA has not made any decision. The agency may ask Zoox for more details as it reviews the request. Once NHTSA has enough information, it will share updates publicly and ask for comments from the public before making a final decision.
If approved, Zoox would be allowed to operate its specially built robotaxis without the standard features designed for human-driven cars.