U.S. opens probe into Amazon's Zoox robotaxi self-certification

FILE PHOTO: Employees work at the assembly line of Zoox, a self-driving vehicle owned by Amazon, at the company's factory in Fremont, California, U.S. July 19, 2022. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A U.S. auto safety regulator said on Monday it is opening a probe into the self-certification by Zoox, Amazon Inc's self-driving vehicle unit, in 2022 of a robotaxi without traditional driving controls.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) sets the requirements for such vehicles and a company then develops its own process to prove that they meet the requirements. In September the NHTSA had directed Zoox to answer questions about its basis for certifying its vehicle, and that review is ongoing.