A rendering of the Sixth-generation Waymo Driver on Hyundai’s all-electric IONIQ 5 SUV. | Supply: Waymo
Waymo is bringing its robotaxis to New York Metropolis. It was granted a allow to check a restricted variety of autonomous automobiles (AVs), outfitted with security drivers, in elements of Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn.
The New York Metropolis Division of Transportation (DOT) stated that is the primary time it has granted a allow to check AVs within the metropolis. The Alphabet Inc. subsidiary is permitted to check as much as eight robotaxis in Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn till late September 2025. After the testing interval, Waymo can apply for an extension.
“We’re a tech-friendly administration and we’re all the time on the lookout for revolutionary methods to soundly transfer our metropolis ahead,” stated Mayor Adams. “New York Metropolis is proud to welcome Waymo to check this new know-how in Manhattan and Brooklyn, as we all know this testing is barely step one in shifting our metropolis additional into the twenty first century. As we proceed to implement accountable innovation, we’ll all the time prioritize road security.”
Waymo is required to coordinate carefully with the DOT by way of common conferences and information reporting. Moreover, the DOT stated Waymo should certify that it’s adhering to the trade’s greatest practices associated to cybersecurity. Along with receiving DOT approval, Waymo has additionally obtained essential permits from the New York State Division of Motor Automobiles.
Whereas Waymo is within the clear for testing its robotaxis, New York Metropolis Taxi and Limousine Fee (TLC) guidelines nonetheless prohibit utilizing AVs for for-hire service. Any firm offering for-hire service should adjust to TLC guidelines, together with acquiring a TLC license. This implies Waymo nonetheless has some roadblocks to launching a completely paid service, even whether it is granted an prolonged allow from the DOT.
From Solar Belt to Snow Belt: Waymo eyes new terrain
Waymo, which was named The Robotic Report‘s Robotic of the Yr in 2025, has emerged as a transparent chief within the robotaxi house. In July 2025, the corporate introduced it surpassed 100 million totally autonomous miles with out a human driver behind the wheel.
The firm is now driving greater than 2 million totally autonomous miles and offering over 1 / 4 million rides per week, it stated. It has served greater than 10 million totally autonomous journeys to this point. Waymo at the moment operates providers in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin.
Whereas the corporate has hit some main milestones, there’s a key similarity between all of its autonomous driving environments thus far: none of them get common, heavy snowfall. Might this be altering within the close to future? In March, Waymo introduced plans to convey its robotaxis to Washington, D.C., in 2026. Washington will get a median of 13.7 in. of snow a yr, in response to the Nationwide Climate Service.
Waymo has additionally proven some curiosity within the metropolis of Boston. In Might, it despatched a small fleet of robotaxis, pushed by human drivers, to map Boston’s distinctive driving atmosphere.
New York Metropolis’s snowfall can fluctuate vastly relying on the yr. For instance, within the 2024-2025 season, town noticed 12.9 inches of snow. However just some years in the past, within the 2020-2021 season, it noticed 38.6 inches. There possible received’t be snow in NYC over the following month. But when Waymo extends this trial within the Huge Apple, snow might turn into an element in direction of the tip of the yr.
“With over 10 million rides accomplished in 5 main U.S. cities and a powerful security document, we’re proud to be working with leaders to put the groundwork to convey this life saving know-how to New Yorkers sooner or later, starting with receiving the first-ever allow issued within the metropolis to drive autonomously,” stated Annabel Chang, head of U.S. state and native public coverage, Waymo. “We consider it’s important for firms to collaborate straight with cities on the rollout of autonomous know-how and are happy to have reached this subsequent step in New York Metropolis.”
Along with D.C., Waymo additionally has plans to launch providers in Miami, Atlanta, Dallas, and Tokyo within the coming years.
NYC lays groundwork for autonomous automobile operations
Earlier this yr, New York Metropolis established security necessities for secure AV testing within the metropolis. The necessities arrange a framework for AV builders to check within the metropolis.
“As autonomous automobile know-how expands throughout the nation, DOT has put in place complete security tips to make sure secure, accountable testing on our metropolis’s streets,” stated NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “These necessities will assist be certain that the event of this know-how is concentrated, initially, on the security of everybody who shares our busy metropolis streets.”
The rules say that any AV testing within the metropolis should not unduly impede site visitors stream, pedestrian and bicycle owner motion, transit service, or emergency response. The NYC DOT works with candidates all through the method to:
- Perceive the competencies of the applicant’s AV know-how
- Evaluation the scope of the proposed testing plan
- Evaluation the applicant’s take a look at automobile operator coaching program
- Focus on the corporate’s method to security, significantly as demonstrated by way of earlier city testing expertise
