US clears Zoox's steering-wheel-free robotaxis for paid rides — up to 2,500 per year

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has granted Zoox a temporary regulatory exemption to commercially deploy up to 2,500 of its fully autonomous pods per year. The vehicles have no steering wheel or pedals, making this the first such approval in the United States. The ruling opens the door to paid rides in Zoox's driverless capsules on public roads.