Waymo has approved testing of self-driving cars in New York City

Waymo has been granted permission to test self-driving cars in New York City. This was first approved by the city. The company told TechCrunch it plans to begin testing “quickly.”

The company is permitted to deploy up to eight of its Jaguar I-PACE SUVs in downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn by late September. Waymo vehicles must have a trained safety operator in the driver’s seat, with at least one hand on the wheel at all times. According to the mayor’s office, the company cannot pick passengers (as it requires a license from the city’s Taxi and Limousine Board).

This permission will bring Waymo to take one step closer to launching the Robotaxi service in the city. This is undoubtedly the most difficult of all time. The company currently operates in San Francisco, Austin, Phoenix and Los Angeles. These are all warm cities, with San Francisco alone approaching the complexity of their activities in New York City.

Waymo has been plunging in with the Big Apple for many years since 2021 when manually mapping cities using Chrysler Pacifica minivans. And I wasn’t sure I would receive this permission. The company applied in June and has been meeting with local organisations like lawmakers and mothers for the past few months against drunk driving.

The permit is part of a new autonomous vehicle safety regime launched in 2024 by Mayor Eric Adams. To apply, Waymo had to coordinate with the first responder, as well as submitting a test plan to the local DOT and a safety plan documenting the vehicle operator qualifications. According to the mayor’s office, Waymo also has obtained “required permissions” from the New York State Motor Service.

Once Waymo’s probationary period ends in late September, if you want to continue testing, you will need to apply for an extension.

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