Amazon's Zoox Wins 1st US Approval for Driverless Robotaxis

Amazon’s Zoox won U.S. approval for limited commercial deployment of its driverless robotaxis, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Thursday. The approval allows Zoox to begin charging for rides, starting first in Las Vegas, with additional markets to follow as it completes state requirements. Zoox says the decision gives federal authorization for commercial service after the regulator granted an exemption from federal rules requiring human controls. The NHTSA clearance caps deployment at up to 2,500 vehicles in each of the next two years. Zoox’s electric, steering-wheel-free vehicles have a top speed of 75 mph (120 km/h) and run with inward-facing seats.