Uber and Waymo launch autonomous journeys in Austin, Texas.
Autonomous cars could soon become a must on Big Apple roads.
Waymo, one of the best known companies in autonomous vehicles, has obtained the first permit to test autonomous cars in New York while the Robotaxi race warms up, city officials announced on Friday.
The Californian company, a subsidiary of the Parent Alphabet of Google, operates a fleet of around 1,500 vehicles and has already recorded more than 10 million trips in five American cities, including San Francisco, Phoenix and Austin.
The license allows Waymo to test up to eight autonomous vehicles in certain parts of Manhattan and downtown Brooklyn under strict security rules, including a requirement that an AV qualified specialist remains driving at any time, said Mayor Eric Adams and the transport commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez.
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A Waymo Zeeker Waymo Zeeker prototype WayMo Self-Commissioner Test vehicle with Lidar and Cameras in Los Angeles, March 2025. The company has now received its first license to test autonomous vehicles in New York. (Smith Collection / Gado / Getty Images / Getty Images)
After the pilot period, Waymo can request an extension.
Adams described another step to move the city further in the 21st century.
“We are a technological administration and we are still looking for innovative means to advance our city safely,” said Adams. “While we continue to implement responsible innovation, we will always prioritize street safety.”
New York State Law requires that a test vehicle operator be present at any time and be ready to assume vehicle control while autonomous technology is in service.
Annabel Chang, local head of state and local public political in Waymo, said that the company’s vehicles had a solid security file. Waymo aims to reduce deaths and injuries of traffic caused by human error.
A Jaguar I-Pace Waymo autonomous SUV in Jaguar I-Pace is waiting for an intersection in San Francisco on March 18, 2025. The company received approval to start testing its autonomous fleet in New York. (Smith Collection / Gado / Getty Images / Getty Images)
“We are proud to work with leaders to lay the foundations to bring this vital technology to New Yorkers one day,” said Chang.
Until now, Waymo has been driving manually since his return to New York in July. The company brought its cars to Manhattan in 2021 for manual collection and tests.
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Waymo is completely driverless and open to the public in Phoenix and San Francisco, while Los Angeles and Austin are still in pilot phases.
The system operates similarly to carpooling applications in that you reserve a turn at a pickup point and that Waymo appears.
Inheritance from Waymo fully autonomous Chrysler Pacifica Minivan hybrid. (Waymo / Fox News)
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The company generally operates a fleet of Jaguar I-PACE electric SUVs and hybrid mini-duties Chrysler Pacifica, both equipped with its autonomous driving system. He also tests the Waymo Zeekr prototype test vehicles and class 8 semi-camius via his Waymo division via freight.
Waymo retraces its origins to 2009, when it was known as Google Auto-Driving Project. Alphabet, the mother company of Google, transformed the project into a subsidiary in 2016.
Reuters contributed to this report.
