Zoox just cleared a long regulatory barrier that lets the company collect money for rides in its purpose-built robotaxis. The Amazon-owned firm received the first commercial exemption of its kind from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration under Part 555 rules. Those vehicles have no steering wheel and no pedals, so they fall outside standard federal motor vehicle safety requirements written for cars with human drivers.
City streets keep filling with bigger machines that promise freedom yet eat more space every year. One designer decided the answer sits much closer to the ground and far smaller than the robotaxi fleets already rolling out. His name is Alejandro Otálora. From a San Francisco base he spent years shaping delivery robots, then turned that experience into a personal side project he simply calls Auto.m. The result looks like a friendly upright box that just won a 2026 Red Dot Award and might one day leave the render farm for real pavement.
Geely subsidiary Zeekr unveiled the M-Vision concept and this autonomous robotaxi shows us the future of transportation. Think of it as a personal assistant for mobility and ridesharing, with an exterior that is not only inviting, but also futuristic, complete with ‘Swipe Doors’ that open at the push of a button.