TLDR: Zoox received NHTSA exemption for 2,500 steering wheel free robotaxis on August 4, while Waymo surpasses 1 million monthly rides and expands to NYC with safety drivers. Toyota’s Woven City opened September 25 with 300 residents for controlled testing. The robotaxi revolution advances through regulatory approval, not press releases.
Key Milestones This Quarter
| Company |
Achievement |
Date |
Significance |
| Zoox |
NHTSA approval for 2,500 units |
Aug 6 |
First steering-wheel-free approval |
| Waymo |
1M+ monthly rides |
Sept |
Revenue-generating scale |
| Toyota |
Woven City launch |
Sept 25 |
Controlled testing begins |
| Tesla |
Nothing |
N/A |
Still promising 2026 |
August 6 changed everything for autonomous vehicles. NHTSA granted Zoox permission to deploy up to 2,500 purpose-built robotaxis annually without steering wheels, pedals, or human controls. Not modified Toyotas with driver seats. Not Cruise’s suspended Origin. Actual robotaxis designed from scratch for autonomy.
No Membership? You’re missing out
Get immediate ad-free access to all our premium content.
