Waymo Returns to New York City for Autonomous Vehicle Testing
Waymo, the self-driving technology unit of Alphabet, announced on Wednesday that it will resume testing in New York City next month, bringing its autonomous vehicles back to Manhattan streets as it scales up U.S. operations.
The company has formally applied for a permit with the New York City Department of Transportation to conduct autonomous testing with a trained human operator behind the wheel. While the current phase will begin with manual driving, the permit would pave the way for New York’s first official autonomous vehicle test deployment on public roads.
“This is not an expansion, but we have every intention of bringing our fully autonomous ride-hailing service to the city in the future,” Waymo said in a statement.
New York State law currently prohibits fully driverless vehicle operation — a restriction Waymo is now lobbying to change.
Waymo first brought its vehicles to Manhattan in 2021, conducting manual driving and data collection exercises. The latest push signals its long-term commitment to eventually offering robotaxi services in one of the country’s most complex urban environments.
The move comes amid heightened competition in the self-driving industry. Rival Tesla is expected to launch a limited trial of its autonomous taxi service with just 10 vehicles this weekend, signaling growing industry momentum.
Meanwhile, Waymo continues to expand in California. The company announced Tuesday it will extend coverage to more areas of Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Peninsula after receiving state regulatory approval last month.
Currently, Waymo remains the only U.S. company operating robotaxi services with paying passengers, delivering over 250,000 weekly rides across San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin with a fleet of more than 1,500 autonomous vehicles.