Waymo, the autonomous driving subsidiary of Alphabet, has officially received approval to test its self-driving vehicles on the streets of New York City. Mayor Eric Adams and the city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) announced on Friday that the company has been granted the city’s first permit for autonomous vehicle testing.
Under the permit, Waymo will deploy up to eight electric vehicles (EVs) equipped with their self-driving systems in parts of Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn. Testing will continue through late September, with the option to apply for an extension.
In compliance with New York State law, every vehicle will still have a trained safety driver behind the wheel, ready to take control if needed.
The green light from city officials has stirred both optimism and concern. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez emphasized that strict safety guidelines are in place to ensure accountability. As part of the permit, Waymo is required to report detailed data from its testing, including any incidents where human intervention is necessary. The company must also coordinate closely with law enforcement and emergency services.
Still, critics are skeptical. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio and leaders from the Taxi Workers Alliance and Independent Drivers Guild have voiced strong opposition, warning that self-driving cars pose safety risks and could threaten thousands of jobs in the city’s transportation industry.
Some argue that New York’s dense pedestrian traffic, heavy cycling presence, and complex intersections make it a particularly difficult and potentially unsafe environment for autonomous vehicles.
The New York City rollout is the latest step in Waymo’s nationwide expansion. Earlier this year, the company launched operations in Austin and grew its San Francisco fleet, while also announcing expanding its robotaxi services to Atlanta. The company also has expansion plans for Miami, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia.
This is not the company’s first presence in New York. Back in 2021, Waymo sent vehicles to manually collect mapping data across the city, but the new permit marks the first time its autonomous driving systems will officially be tested on local streets.
