interesting, this seems to suggest the NEC relies on nameplate ratings and believes in the device ocd/otd to do its job. why's that, i have a 1.5HP hvac motor where the motor wires look to be #18 in size, inrush is above 30A and hi speed winding runs about 14.2 amps. heck, my bro-inlaw had a pool pump motor running so hot you could smell it burning from 10ft away, the internal over temp was not working (simply failed from being old and going through a zillion heat cycles), but was still running under circuit OCD amps, certainly a scenario that exceeds the allowed exceptions for motors. NEC should be protecting the wire under all wiring cases w/o exceptions, etc.
#18 wire in open air can handle more current, and the temperature rating of the insulation could be higher. Open up a range or look at the whip of a cooktop/oven, the cord coming in is #8 or #6 on a 40/50amp circuit but the wire coming off the terminal block is either #14 or #12 with ultra high temperature insulation (at least 250*C if I remember correctly)
In terms of motors the NEC believes that the overload will do its job. FWIW in the CEC its assumed electric heat will never pull more then the data plate, and over seas many fixed loads are assumed not to pull more then the wire its rated for.
Of note, the amapcity tables in the NEC and IEC (really all indoor building wire) are very conservative. Some codes are more loose while some more strict but in actual operation wire never reaches the claimed temperature in any ampacity table. The reason is from built in safety factor.
#14 NM might need say 70 amps continuous in open air to reach 194*F, a safety factor is then added bring it down to 25 amps. Because the wire might be in thermal insulation rather then open air another adjustment is added to 20amps. Being that wire might end up in dense foam insulation, installer error, DIY screw up, ect, ect the code adds another safety factor bring it down to 15 amps.
To what degree safety factors are applied and where is up to those making the code.
Id be curious to know what current is needed to bring NM to the actual temperatures listed, but I will bet you its a lot more then claimed.