NewsWFLA News Channel 8August 2, 2026Hillsborough
Federal Rules Updated to Allow Steering-Wheel-Free Robotaxis
Federal regulators are updating safety standards to permit autonomous vehicles to operate without traditional manual controls, such as steering wheels and brake pedals.
Read the full story at WFLA News Channel 8Why It Matters
This regulatory shift allows manufacturers to deploy fully autonomous vehicles that lack manual driving interfaces, changing the design requirements for future fleets.
Key Facts
- Federal regulators are updating rules to allow robotaxis to operate without steering wheels.
- Future regulations may permit the removal of brake pedals in autonomous vehicles.
- The policy change is intended to align federal safety standards with current autonomous vehicle technology.
Who's Mentioned
other10,000“Target annual production capacity for Amazon's robotaxis.”personPeter Kurdock“General counsel for the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.”organizationNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration“Federal agency responsible for vehicle safety regulations and oversight of auton”organizationZoox“Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle company authorized to operate steering-wheel-fre”personAicha Evans“CEO of Zoox.”organizationFederal regulators“The government bodies responsible for updating vehicle safety standards.”other2,500“Limit on the number of steering-wheel-free vehicles Zoox can deploy over the nex”organizationAmazon“Parent company of Zoox; plans to produce up to 10,000 robotaxis annually.”organizationWaymo“Industry-leading autonomous vehicle company owned by Alphabet.”personJonathan Morrison“Administrator at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.”