Uber and Waymo launch autonomous rides in Austin, Texas.
Self-driving cars may soon become a fixture on Big Apple roads.
Waymo, one of the best-known companies for autonomous vehicles, has secured the first permit to test self-driving cars in New York City as the robotaxi race heats up, city officials announced Friday.
The California-based company, a subsidiary of Google’s parent Alphabet, operates a fleet of about 1,500 vehicles and has already logged more than 10 million rides in five U.S. cities, including San Francisco, Phoenix and Austin.
The permit allows Waymo to test up to eight autonomous vehicles in parts of Manhattan and downtown Brooklyn under strict safety rules, including a requirement that a trained AV specialist remain behind the wheel at all times, Mayor Eric Adams and Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said.
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A Waymo self-driving Waymo Zeeker prototype test vehicle fitted with lidar and cameras drives in Los Angeles, March 2025. The company has now received its first permit to test autonomous vehicles in New York City. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images / Getty Images)
After the pilot period, Waymo can apply for an extension.
Adams called the announcement another step in moving the city further into the 21st century.
“We’re a tech-friendly administration and we’re always looking for innovative ways to safely move our city forward,” Adams said. “As we continue to implement responsible innovation, we will always prioritize street safety.”
New York State law requires that a test vehicle operator be present at all times and be ready to assume control of the vehicle while the self-driving technology is in operation.
Annabel Chang, head of U.S. state and local public policy at Waymo, said the company’s vehicles have a strong safety record. Waymo aims to reduce traffic deaths and injuries caused by human error.
A Waymo self-driving Jaguar I-PACE SUV waits at an intersection in San Francisco, March 18, 2025. The company has received approval to begin testing its autonomous fleet in New York City. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images / Getty Images)
“We’re proud to be working with leaders to lay the groundwork to bring this life-saving technology to New Yorkers one day,” Chang said.
Until now, Waymo has been driving manually since its return to New York City in July. The company had brought its cars to Manhattan in 2021 for manual driving data collection and testing.
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Waymo is fully driverless and open to the public in Phoenix and San Francisco, while Los Angeles and Austin are still in pilot phases.
The system works similarly to ride-sharing apps in that you book a ride at a pickup point and the Waymo shows up.
Waymo’s legacy fully autonomous Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan. (Waymo / Fox News)
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The company typically operates a fleet of Jaguar I-PACE electric SUVs and Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans, both equipped with its autonomous driving system. It’s also testing autonomous Waymo Zeekr prototype test vehicles and Class 8 semi-trucks through its Waymo Via freight division.
Waymo traces its origins to 2009, when it was known as the Google Self-Driving Car Project. Alphabet, the parent company of Google, turned the project into a subsidiary in 2016.
Reuters contributed to this report.
