The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an inquiry into Zoox, Amazon's robotaxi company, as its driverless SUV caused collisions resulting in injuries.
The NHTSA began the investigation on Monday when two Toyota Highlanders with Zoox's automatic self-driving technology abruptly braked, according to CNBC Both motorcycle wrecks caused minor injuries.
The road safety agency confirmed that Zoox vehicles were in autonomous mode throughout the crashes, which occurred during daytime hours and within Zoox's operational design limitations. The 500-vehicle investigation evaluates Zoox's autonomous driving technology, notably at crosswalks and in rear-end collisions.
Zoox retained its autonomy within the Amazon ecosystem when Amazon bought it for $1.2 billion in 2020. The business has tested electric, autonomous ride-hailing vehicles in Las Vegas and Foster City.
The robotaxi company announced in March that it will test at both sites with larger regions, faster speeds, nighttime driving, and light rain.
Zoox Faced NHSTSA's Scrutiny Before
Zoox made headlines in 2023 when one of their four-person shuttles automatically drove employees a mile between two business facilities on public roads. Analysts speculated that Amazon may use Zoox for autonomous deliveries after the business announced its intentions to start an employee shuttle service.
Zoox vehicles have carriage-style interiors with two benches and no steering wheel or pedals, according to AP News. Although shorter than a Mini Cooper, these vehicles can achieve 35 mph and measure a little under 12 feet.
The robotaxi firm had NHTSA's attention before this latest incident. The US government began investigating the company's certification of the vehicle's conformity with federal safety requirements in March 2022, per The Verge.
NHTSA wanted to know if Zoox used its testing methodologies to decide that certain federal criteria did not apply owing to their robotaxi's unique setup.
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(Photo : PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)
A Toyota sport-utility vehicle modified by Zoox, a subsidiary of Amazon.com, which combines radars, lidar, and cameras to test its software, drives on a road ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) of Las Vegas, Nevada on January 3, 2023.
Robotaxis Facing Mounting Safety Issues
The Zoox incident comes Cruise started testing its robotaxi fleet in Phoenix, Arizona after one of its vehicles struck a pedestrian. As reported by TechTimes, the tests would have human drivers, no passengers, and disconnected autonomous technologies.
Safety concerns led to the ban on Cruise's automobile activities in California. The restriction came into effect after numerous unsettling incidents, such as a cruise car in San Francisco dragging a pedestrian nearly 20 feet. .
Amid several safety issues concerning robotaxis, Tesla recently announced that it will focus on developing self-driving robotaxi rather than manufacturing a more affordable electric vehicle.
In his recent visit to China, Tesla CEO Elon Musk proposed to launch Tesla robotaxis in the country, the biggest EV market in the world.
Earlier reports stated that Elon Musk has delayed the debut of the cheaper electric vehicle to focus on the Robotaxi initiative, internally known as NV9.
Tesla's strategy shift comes as the leading EV manufacturer faces the challenges of declining market interest in electric cars and intensifying market competition.
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