Zoox, owned by Amazon, becomes 1st US driverless robotaxi operator

Technology Jul 30, 2026

Zoox, owned by Amazon, just made history as the first US company allowed to run fully driverless robotaxis: no steering wheels or brake pedals needed.

Thanks to a special exemption from NHTSA, Zoox can roll out up to 2,500 electric cars with inward-facing seats in each of the next two years.

These futuristic rides have already been tested in Las Vegas and San Francisco.

Zoox faces NHTSA oversight and recall

Zoox will soon start charging passengers once local approvals come through.

The company has to report any crashes or glitches, and NHTSA's Jonathan Morrison says Zoox's tech is solid but will be closely watched.

If safety rules aren't followed, exemptions can be pulled.

There are still worries about how these cars handle emergencies and tricky roads: Zoox recently recalled some vehicles for software upgrades to help spot heavy smoke during incidents.