At TechCrunch Disrupt 2024, Zoox cofounder and CTO Jesse Levinson announced that Zoox’s autonomous vehicles will soon start operating in San Francisco and Las Vegas. However, the company’s claim that these cars meet federal safety rules without traditional controls, like steering wheels or pedals, is under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Zoox says its vehicles don’t need exemptions from safety rules because they’re already designed to meet them, calling this “self-certification.” This differs from other companies like Nuro and GM, which have requested temporary exemptions to operate vehicles without standard controls.
However, safety advocates argue that Zoox might be skipping critical safety checks in its push to launch. Michael Brooks from the Center for Auto Safety believes Zoox is testing the limits, potentially violating the Safety Act by deploying these vehicles on public roads.
NHTSA is also investigating other autonomous vehicle companies, like Waymo, for safety concerns. If NHTSA finds Zoox’s compliance claims insufficient, it could demand a recall. At the event, Levinson remained confident, saying the vehicles fully meet current regulations and that Zoox is ready to address any issues with NHTSA.
