Waymo is largely considered the gold standard for autonomous ride-share services, offering computer-piloted -rides in five of the largest cities in the U.S—and, generally speaking, doing so in a reliable and safe manner. Now, the Mountain View, California-based company is one step closer to expanding into its biggest city yet: New York, New York.
The tech company received its first permit from New York City's Department of Transportation on Friday, August 22, setting the stage for testing of the company's self-driving Jaguar I-Pace fleet in the Big Apple. Once underway, Waymo's entrance will make history as the city's first autonomous vehicle testing program. However, there are some specific limitations that Waymo will have to adhere to maintain its NYC testing program.
Specifically, the permit grants Waymo the ability to test a maximum of eight units at once in Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn, with a human safety driver behind the wheel and no paid passengers. The presence of a safety driver is the result of New York state law, which prohibits fully autonomous vehicle testing, while the lack of commercial availability is due to New York City's strict Taxi and Limousine Commission rules. Waymo has previously lobbied New York Governor Kathy Hochul and the state legislature to change these autonomous testing limitations. Assembly Bill A3650, which was introduced by State Assemblywoman Michaelle C. Solages, aims to axe the requirement for a safety driver, though the bill has been stalled in an assembly committee since its introduction in January 2025.
Despite skepticism in Albany, New York City mayor Eric Adams has repeatedly express interest in hosting autonomous vehicles, and even paved the way for Waymo's entrance by directing the Department of Transportation to open a permit program for prospective autonomous technology companies earlier this year. New York City's DOT also revamped its autonomous vehicle safety requirements ahead of implementing the permit program that Waymo has now taken advantage of.
"We’re a tech-friendly administration and we’re always looking for innovative ways to safely move our city forward," Adams said in a release. "New York City is proud to welcome Waymo to test this new technology in Manhattan and Brooklyn, as we know this testing is only the first step in moving our city further into the 21st century."
Waymo is having a successful year, as company executives announced that over 10 million autonomous rides had been completed back in May. Similarly, Waymo announced expansions to Atlanta, Georgia, and Austin, Texas, earlier this year. Waymo's presence in the Lone Star State is no doubt spurred on by Tesla's promise to delivery Robotaxi service to the rapidly growing city of Austin. Waymo's self-driving rides will soon be available in Philadelphia, Miami, Dallas, and Washington D.C. as well.
This is not Waymo's first attempt at launching in New York City. The California-based company attempted to roll-out self-driving rides in 2021, but was limited to manually driven models, and opted to use the testing time for data collection in specific Manhattan areas. Four years later, Waymo will be focused on staying in the good graces of Empire State politicians as its launches the testing program, which runs through late September. The company will be required to meet with DOT officials and coordinate with law enforcement and first responders regularly, which will eventually open the door to a potential extension of Waymo's testing permit. Overall, that seems like a small price to pay for the privilege of introducing New Yorkers to autonomous rides.
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