Zoox clears first-ever NHTSA robotaxi exemption, starts fares

NHTSA granted Zoox a two-year exemption from portions of eight Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards on July 30, 2026, the agency's first-ever commercial deployment exemption for a purpose-built robotaxi with no steering wheel or pedals, capping deployment at 2,500 vehicles a year through July 2028. Zoox used the clearance to flip its roughly 65-vehicle Las Vegas fleet from free to paid rides on August 10, its first commercial revenue after nearly a year of free public service.