US regulators have granted Amazon-owned Zoox a two-year exemption allowing it to charge passengers for rides in its purpose-built robotaxis, which have no steering wheel or pedals. The approval is significant because it is the first for a vehicle designed solely for autonomous driving to carry paying customers in the US, potentially opening a path beyond conventional cars adapted for self-driving systems.

Zoox plans to begin paid rides in Las Vegas, while its limited free services continue in Austin, Miami and San Francisco. The exemption permits deployment of up to 5,000 vehicles but requires extra reporting on crashes and unexplained stops, and can be withdrawn over safety concerns; Zoox currently has 105 active robotaxis, according to a recent recall filing, despite saying it has carried over 500,000 riders across more than three million autonomous miles.