“Waymo Applies for NYC Self-Driving Car Permit as Mayor Adams Sets AV Testing Rules—Robotaxis to Operate with Safety Drivers”

June 18, 2025

Key Points

Waymo, Alphabet’s self-driving car unit, has applied for a permit from the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) to test its autonomous vehicles in Manhattan, with a trained specialist behind the wheel.
This marks the first step toward potentially introducing Waymo’s fully autonomous ride-hailing service in New York City, though current state laws prohibit driverless operations.
Waymo is advocating for changes to New York state law to allow fully autonomous vehicles, but no timeline for commercial deployment has been specified.
New York City’s complex and congested streets present a significant challenge for autonomous vehicles, making this a critical test for Waymo’s technology.

Background

Waymo, a leader in the robotaxi industry with over 250,000 weekly trips in cities like San Francisco, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Austin, is expanding its footprint. The company previously conducted manual driving tests in New York City in 2021 to collect data and test in adverse weather conditions. The current application is for autonomous operation with a safety driver, a step toward eventual driverless services.

Details of the Permit Application

Permit Scope: Waymo applied for a permit to operate its vehicles autonomously in Manhattan, with a trained specialist monitoring from the driver’s seat. If granted, this would be New York City’s first official autonomous vehicle testing deployment.
Timeline: Testing is slated to begin next month, pending permit approval.
Legal Hurdles: New York state law currently mandates a human operator be ready to take control, prohibiting fully driverless operations. Waymo is lobbying to amend this law, and a bill to allow driverless vehicles is under consideration in the state Senate’s transportation committee.
Previous NYC Engagement: In 2021, Waymo manually drove its vehicles in Manhattan for mapping and weather testing, focusing on rain, snow, and icy conditions to improve its sensors.

Challenges in New York City

New York City’s streets are among the most complex for autonomous vehicles due to:

High traffic density with vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and delivery drivers.
Unusual road geometries, frequent construction, and double- or triple-parked cars.
Variable weather, including heavy rain and snow, which challenges sensor performance. These conditions make NYC a critical testing ground but also a regulatory and operational hurdle, as the city has strict rules and a history of protecting its taxi industry.

Waymo’s Broader Strategy

Nationwide Expansion: Waymo’s NYC application aligns with its plan to test in 10 new cities in 2025, including Las Vegas and San Diego, to adapt to diverse traffic and weather conditions.
Competitive Landscape: Waymo leads competitors like Zoox, Pony AI, WeRide, and Tesla, which is set to begin robotaxi testing in Austin without safety drivers. However, Tesla’s plans have faced skepticism due to repeated delays.
Partnerships and Funding: Waymo has partnered with Uber in Phoenix and Austin and secured $5.6 billion in funding in 2024 to scale its fleet to 2,500 vehicles, using platforms like Toyota and Zeekr.

Impact and Sentiment

Market Reaction: Shares of Uber and Lyft fell following Waymo’s announcement, reflecting investor concerns about competition in the ride-hailing market.
Public and Union Concerns: The Teamsters union has opposed Waymo’s plans, citing safety risks and lobbying against bills that would allow driverless testing, arguing that New Yorkers shouldn’t be “guinea pigs” for autonomous tech.
City Support: Mayor Eric Adams and the NYC DOT have supported cautious AV testing, emphasizing safety with a rigorous permitting process requiring safety drivers and data reporting.

Conclusion

Waymo’s application to test autonomous vehicles in New York City is a significant step toward bringing its robotaxi service to one of the world’s largest ride-hailing markets. However, legal, regulatory, and environmental challenges mean a commercial driverless launch is likely years away. The outcome of this testing and Waymo’s advocacy for state law changes will be pivotal for its ambitions in NYC.