Waymo gets the green light to test self-driving cars in New York City

Waymo Secures First Permit for Self-Driving Cars in New York City

Self-driving cars might soon be a familiar sight on the streets of New York City.

Waymo, a leading name in autonomous vehicles, has been granted the first permit to test its self-driving cars in the city, as city officials revealed on Friday. This comes as the competition for robotaxi services intensifies.

The California-based company, which is under Google’s parent company Alphabet, operates a fleet of about 1,500 vehicles and has recorded over 10 million rides across five U.S. cities—including famous locales like San Francisco, Phoenix, and Austin.

With this permit, Waymo can test up to eight autonomous vehicles in parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn, all while adhering to strict safety regulations.

After a pilot testing phase, Waymo can apply for an extension.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams referred to the announcement as a significant step toward modernizing the city. “We’re committed to responsible innovation. Our focus will always be on road safety,” he stated.

According to state law, operators must be inside test vehicles and ready to take control if necessary while the cars are using autonomous driving technology.

Annabel Chang, Waymo’s head of public policy in the U.S., emphasized the company’s strong safety record and expressed the goal of reducing traffic-related injuries and fatalities caused by human errors.

Until this moment, Waymo had only been driving manually in New York City since their return in July, after initially starting manual testing in Manhattan in 2021.

Currently, Waymo’s autonomous systems are fully operational and available to the public in Phoenix and San Francisco, while in Austin and Los Angeles, they remain in the pilot testing stage.

Users can book rides similar to ride-sharing services, where a Waymo vehicle arrives at the chosen pickup location.

Waymo’s fleet typically includes Jaguar I-Pace SUVs and Chrysler Pacifica hybrid minivans equipped with cutting-edge autonomous technology, along with testing vehicles like the Waymo Zeekr prototypes and Class 8 semi-trucks through its freight division.