Waymo's permits to test robotaxis in New York City expired on March 31, effectively ending the company's authorized testing program there while the New York Department of Transportation has not confirmed any renewal.
Waymo began street testing in New York last July and was operating eight vehicles south of 112th Street in Manhattan and in downtown Brooklyn with human safety operators mapping and evaluating the city; the vehicles currently have fewer autonomous privileges than a Tesla.
Governor Kathy Hochul praised the program in January but state budget support was later removed, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani has emphasized protecting taxi drivers' jobs in public statements.
Proponents noted no reported crashes during Waymo's New York tests and cited lower crash rates for autonomous fleets, while critics including the Transport Workers Union pointed to reported incidents in other cities—blocked ambulances, oncoming‑traffic events and limits in snowy conditions—and warned of safety and employment risks.
This summary is based on coverage by Jalopnik.
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