The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced plans this week to revamp and streamline its exemption process—known as Part 555—making it easier and faster for automakers to get approval to deploy autonomous vehicles that lack traditional human controls, such as steering wheels, pedals, or rearview mirrors.
In a letter sent to companies developing autonomous technologies, the agency stated that the current exemption system is overly cumbersome and inadequate for vehicles equipped with automated driving systems. Automakers must still prove to regulators that their fully autonomous vehicles deliver safety performance on par with conventional cars and demonstrate that allowing these exemptions serves the public interest. However, the updated goal is clearly focused on speeding up regulatory approval to help bring self-driving technology to market more quickly.
The announcement coincided with other recent developments at the federal level involving transportation technologies. Former President Trump issued executive orders on drones and plans to accelerate the regulatory framework around supersonic aviation.
In a related industry note, Waymo’s autonomous ride-hailing service has been under scrutiny for its pricing structure. Despite costing more than comparable services from traditional ride providers such as Uber and Lyft, demand for Waymo’s driverless rides remains robust, according to pricing analysis performed by the ride-comparison app Obi. Waymo recently became the focal point of protests in Los Angeles after images emerged showing vandalized autonomous vehicles engulfed in flames or bearing marks of anti-ICE graffiti. The company subsequently removed its vehicles from the protest-affected areas and vowed legal action against those responsible for the vandalism. The incidents prompted broader questions regarding the potentially controversial use of autonomous vehicles’ onboard cameras and sensors for surveillance and identification purposes. Waymo did not respond to questions about whether it has provided footage from the incidents to law enforcement.
Meanwhile, the competitive robotaxi sector continues to heat up. Tesla CEO Elon Musk reaffirmed the company’s highly anticipated Austin-based public robotaxi service, setting a firm launch date of June 22. Elsewhere, autonomous driving startup Wayve has partnered with Uber on plans to introduce a fully driverless robotaxi program in London, following the recent announcement by the UK government that it intends to speed up regulatory approval and deployment of autonomous commercial pilots.
In another segment of mobility-focused news, electric vehicle and micromobility initiatives continue to progress. Infinite Machine, a micromobility firm backed by prominent venture capital firm a16z, announced a new electric seated scooter named Olto, with pricing set at $3,495 upon its launch later this year. The scooter is designed with swappable lithium-ion batteries and offers around 40 miles of range per charge.
Finally, Apple introduced enhancements targeting automotive integration at its WWDC 2025 event, such as new messaging features and widget support for CarPlay in the upcoming iOS 26 update.
