The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration granted Amazon-owned Zoox a temporary exemption from federal safety standards, clearing the path for the first commercial deployment of a purpose-built robotaxi in the US. The exemption covers eight specific Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards requirements and allows Zoox to deploy up to 2,500 vehicles per year over a two-year period. The vehicles are purpose-built pods with inward-facing seats and a top speed of 75 mph. Zoox CEO Aicha Evans called it “the first-ever commercial exemption for a purpose-built robotaxi.” Las Vegas is the planned launch city for paid rides, though Zoox still needs state and local approvals. The company has been offering free rides in Las Vegas and San Francisco since receiving a demonstration exemption in August 2025, during which it was scaling toward just 100 vehicles. Zoox must maintain US-based remote operators, publicly map every area where its robotaxis operate, and provide continuous crash reporting. NHTSA retains the authority to revoke the exemption at any time. California, where Zoox is headquartered, has its own permitting process. For Amazon, the ability to charge for rides transforms Zoox from a pure R&D expense into something that could eventually generate revenue. The two-year window and 2,500-vehicle annual cap suggest regulators want real-world data before expanding permissions.