Amazon's autonomous vehicle unit Zoox just filed the paperwork that could finally unleash its futuristic robotaxis on paying customers. The company submitted a federal exemption request to deploy vehicles without steering wheels or pedals commercially, marking a critical regulatory milestone that separates Zoox from every other robotaxi player still using modified conventional cars.
Amazon's Zoox just took the biggest regulatory swing in the robotaxi race. The company quietly submitted what's known as a "555 exemption" to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, asking federal regulators to let them put paying passengers in vehicles that look nothing like traditional cars.
This isn't just another autonomous vehicle permit. Zoox's custom-built robotaxis are bidirectional pod-like vehicles with no steering wheel, no pedals, and seats facing each other like a living room on wheels. According to NHTSA spokesperson comments to TechCrunch, the company is seeking exemptions from eight specific Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards that assume human drivers need traditional controls.
The timing couldn't be more strategic. Earlier this month, Zoox launched free rides for the general public in Las Vegas, giving them real-world data to support their commercial case. That followed an August breakthrough when NHTSA granted Zoox permission to demonstrate these vehicles on public roads - but only for research purposes.
Here's what makes this filing different: it's specifically for commercial operations. While competitors like Waymo and Cruise retrofit existing cars with sensors and software, Zoox designed their vehicle from scratch around full autonomy. No human backup driver position means no traditional safety equipment required by decades-old vehicle standards.
"We continue to work closely with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration through this new exemption process," a Zoox spokesperson confirmed to reporters. The company has been methodically building its regulatory case since Amazon acquired them for $1.3 billion in 2020, understanding that their radical vehicle design would require unprecedented federal approval.
NHTSA now enters a formal review process that includes publishing the application for public comment. The agency has been gradually expanding its Automated Vehicle Exemption Program, but Zoox represents the most ambitious test case yet. Their August demonstration exemption was groundbreaking, but commercial approval would fundamentally change how federal regulators view autonomous vehicles.
