In this articleAMZN your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNTAmazon's Zoox robotaxi unit is ramping up vehicle duction at a new facility in Hayward, California.ZooxAmazon's Zoox has ed a key regulatory hurdle, paving the way for demonstrations of its self-driving robotaxis.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Wednesday that it granted Zoox an exemption from some requirements, a first for U.S.-built vehicles under a recently expanded gram."Transportation innovators can be confident in getting speedy review of their vehicles and, as appriate, exemption from Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards," NHTSA Chief Counsel Peter Simshauser said in a release.The company must remove all existing statements that its purpose-built vehicles meet all federal motor vehicle safety standards.As part of the announcement, NHTSA said it's closing a be opened in March 2023 into Zoox's self-certification that its robotaxi met federal safety standards."Through this new exemption cess, we are excited to embark on this new path, put these discussions behind us, and move forward," Zoox said in a statement.The Department of Transportation in April announced it would expand a gram that aims to speed up the autonomous vehicle exemption cess to include domestically duced vehicles.
Previously, it was limited to imported AVs.Read more CNBC newsMusk says Tesla is training an upgraded Full Self-Driving model which could be released next monthU.S.
charges two Chinese nationals for illegally shipping Nvidia AI chips to ChinaPalo Alto CEO Nikesh Arora confronts Wall Street skeptics after company's biggest bet yetOpendoor tanks after earnings as CEO thanks new investors for 'increased visibility'The easing of regulations will benefit Zoox and its competitors.Tesla has announced that it plans to duce a two-seater CyberCab with no steering wheel or pedals down the line.
The expansion of the Automated Vehicle Exemption gram could make it easier for the company to conduct testing and operate on public, U.S.
roadways if Elon Musk's automaker can meet the agency's requirements.Zoox, founded 11 years ago and purchased by Amazon for $1.3 billion in 2020, has been gearing up for further expansion this year.The company in June opened a robotaxi manufacturing facility in the San Francisco Bay Area, where it aims to eventually duce 10,000 vehicles a year once it's at full scale.Zoox needs more of its toaster-shaped robotaxis to roll off the assembly line to fulfill its mission of deploying a commercial ride-hailing service in the U.S.
The company has eyed Las Vegas as its first commercial market, and said it plans to begin service there later this year.-- CNBC's Lora Kolodny contributed reporting to this article.