TechCrunch Mobility: Zoox Prepares for Launch and Uber's AV Empire
A roundup of key transportation news, featuring Zoox's commercial robotaxi rollout and Uber's massive autonomous vehicle investment.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Amazon-owned Zoox secures a federal exemption to operate up to 2,500 commercial robotaxis.
- Uber commits $10 billion to deploy 120,000 driverless vehicles in the coming years.
- Fleet management startup Moove raises $250 million in a Series C round at a $2.1 billion valuation.
Amazon-owned Zoox is on the verge of charging for robotaxi rides after clearing a critical regulatory hurdle. While the company's custom-built autonomous vehicles have already been carrying passengers in Las Vegas, San Francisco, Miami, and Austin, true business viability requires full commercial operation.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
That milestone arrived on August 10, 2026, thanks to a regulatory exemption issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Because Zoox vehicles lack traditional driver controls like a steering wheel and pedals, federal motor vehicle standards required an exemption. This new waiver allows the company to operate a commercial fleet of up to 2,500 steering-wheel-free vehicles for two years, paving the way for other developers like Tesla with its Cybercab.
Meanwhile, during an earnings call, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi confirmed that the company will commit $10 billion over the coming years to deploy 120,000 driverless vehicles, matching a previous calculation published by the Financial Times regarding Uber's ambitious autonomous vehicle empire.
The NHTSA's decision to grant exemptions for vehicles lacking steering wheels and pedals marks a pivotal regulatory shift. Traditional vehicle standards assumed a human operator; adapting federal rules specifically for autonomous fleets signals a major acceleration toward commercial-scale driverless transportation on public roads.
On the funding front, Dubai-based fleet management startup Moove secured $250 million in a Series C round led by Mubadala Investment Company, bringing its valuation to $2.1 billion. Moove, which operates as a fleet partner for Waymo, plans to use the fresh capital to scale its autonomous vehicle management business and hire around 350 new employees.
Source: TechCrunch
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