The Trump Administration Just Named a Front-Runner in the Robotaxi Race Zoox got the first commercial exemption for a driverless car. It came with a promise that safety regulations would evolve “as Zoox's technology advances.” Riding in a car without brake pedals* or a steering wheel might soon be a regular occurrence for residents of Las Vegas and San Francisco. On Thursday, the Transportation Department's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced it is granting a two-year temporary exemption to autonomous robotaxi company Zoox for commercial deployment of up to 2,500 vehicles annually. Last August, Zoox became the first American autonomous vehicle (A.V.) company to receive a demonstration exemption for its fleet. The company has been operating free rides in Las Vegas and San Francisco, with plans to expand to Austin, Texas, and Miami in the near future. The move aligns with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's "transportation innovation agenda," which aims to "unleash innovation" and "enable commercial deployment" of A.V.s through deregulation and modernization of federal motor vehicle standards. The agency is simplifying its application process for Part 555 exemptions—a regulatory carveout that allows car companies to test new technology by deploying products in small batches—so more A.V. companies can demonstrate their ability to deploy commercially. In the same press release, the NHTSA also announced it would enter into a three-year partnership with the technology trade association SAE Industry Technologies Consortia to "gather data and accelerate creation" of a national safety standard for A.V.s and replace the "patchwork" of state regulations. In a statement sent to Reason, the NHTSA says it will provide funding for the $5 million consortium of experts responsible for making recommendations. Current motor vehicle standards often fail to consider that required features in typical cars—like rearview mirrors, foot pedals, manual gear shifts, steering wheels, or front-facing