Waymo, the self-driving car unit of Alphabet, has announced plans to begin manually driving its vehicles in New York City, taking an important step towards potentially introducing its autonomous ride-hailing service in the future. The company has submitted an application to the New York City Department of Transportation to operate with a trained specialist behind the wheel while they work towards obtaining permission for fully autonomous operations.
This initiative marks the first attempt to deploy autonomous vehicles in New York City, where state law currently requires a driver to be present. “We are advocating for a change in state law that would allow for operating a vehicle with no human behind the wheel,” Waymo stated, emphasizing their intent to evolve with the city’s regulatory landscape.
Previously, Waymo had conducted testing in New York City in 2021, where it focused on data collection and manual driving in various conditions. This prior initiative helped the company enhance its vehicle performance, particularly in challenging weather and urban settings.
While Waymo is not yet ready for full deployment in New York, the company is significantly expanding its operations in other U.S. markets. Their Waymo One ride-hailing service currently facilitates over 250,000 paid trips weekly across cities like Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin. Additionally, they are planning to extend their autonomous services to Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, D.C., by 2026.
This venture into New York City could open opportunities for innovation and improved transportation solutions in one of the largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. As regulations evolve, the prospect of autonomous vehicles in urban environments seems increasingly attainable, signaling progress in the transportation industry.