US issues exemption for self-driving Zoox vehicles, closes probe

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Wednesday it has certified Amazon.com's AMZN self-driving unit Zoox vehicles for demonstration use and closed a probe into whether they had complied with federal requirements.

The auto safety agency in 2022 began a probe into whether the self-driving vehicles lacking traditional driving controls had meet federal safety requirements. Zoox in June applied for an exemption from some requirements and NHTSA granted it, saying all of purpose-built vehicles manufactured by Zoox now operating on public roads in the United States are doing so pursuant to an exemption issued by the agency.