U.S. federal safety regulators have granted a temporary exemption to Zoox, Amazon's self-driving car company, allowing it to charge passengers for using its self-developed Robotaxi service. This means that Zoox has essentially crossed the last major federal regulatory hurdle before launching a commercial driverless taxi service.

Exemptions cover 8 federal standards

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the decision on Thursday and published it in the Federal Register. Zoox's vehicles were specially designed and manufactured without the steering wheel and pedals commonly found in traditional cars, and therefore could not fully meet current federal motor vehicle safety standards.

This exemption covers eight federal motor vehicle safety requirements, including windshield defrosting and light vehicle braking systems. Regulators therefore allow Zoox to operate these vehicles, which do not fully comply with current standards, under certain conditions.

Commercial fleets are subject to a maximum number of restrictions.

This exemption is not unlimited. Under the NHTSA's arrangement, Zoox can deploy up to 2,500 commercial vehicles per year for the next two years. At the same time, the company will be subject to what regulators call a "strengthened and adaptable oversight mechanism," with requirements adjusting as its technology advances.

This decision is seen as a significant step forward for Zoox's commercialization. Previously, the lack of traditional driving controls had been one of the main obstacles for these customized Robotaxis to gain federal approval.

NHTSA adjusts autonomous driving approval process accordingly.

Alongside announcing the progress of Zoox, the NHTSA also announced an updated exemption process, allowing automakers to temporarily sell small numbers of vehicles that do not meet current standards, primarily for testing new technologies.

In addition, the NHTSA announced a three-year, $5 million alliance with SAE Industry Technologies Consortia to collect data and accelerate the development of standards for autonomous driving performance. The agency stated that the goal is to promote unified national standards for autonomous driving safety.

The NHTSA also revealed that it is reviewing the exemption application of Los Angeles startup Robomart, which develops low-speed, driverless delivery vehicles capable of carrying up to 500 pounds of goods per vehicle. After the initial assessment, the regulator will issue a separate announcement seeking public comment.