Amazon’s Zoox probed by US after two crashes in autonomous SUVs

Zoox’s L5 fully autonomous, all-electric robotaxi at Coit Tower in San Francsico. The NHTSA opened a preliminary evaluation after receiving notice of two Toyota Highlander sport utility vehicles equipped with Zoox’s automated-driving system braked unexpectedly. — Zoox

The top US auto-safety regulator has opened an investigation into Zoox, the autonomous-vehicle subsidiary of Amazon.com Inc, after two incidents in which its SUVs suddenly braked and were rear-ended.

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defect Investigation opened a preliminary evaluation after receiving notice of two Toyota Highlander sport utility vehicles equipped with Zoox’s automated-driving system braked unexpectedly. In both cases, motorcyclists collided with the Zoox vehicles, resulting in minor injuries, NHTSA said.