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), geared up with security drivers, in components of Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn.
The New York Metropolis Division of Transportation (DOT) mentioned 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 in search of modern methods to securely transfer our metropolis ahead,” mentioned Mayor Adams. “New York Metropolis is proud to welcome Waymo to check this new expertise in Manhattan and Brooklyn, as we all know this testing is simply step one in transferring 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 mentioned Waymo should certify that it’s adhering to the business’s finest practices associated to cybersecurity. Along with receiving DOT approval, Waymo has additionally obtained needed permits from the New York State Division of Motor Autos.
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 12 months in 2025, has emerged as a transparent chief within the robotaxi house. In July 2025, the corporate introduced it surpassed 100 million absolutely autonomous miles with no human driver behind the wheel.
The firm is now driving greater than 2 million absolutely autonomous miles and offering over 1 / 4 million rides per week, it mentioned. It has served greater than 10 million absolutely autonomous journeys thus far. Waymo presently 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 to this point: none of them get common, heavy snowfall. May this be altering within the close to future? In March, Waymo introduced plans to carry its robotaxis to Washington, D.C., in 2026. Washington will get a mean of 13.7 in. of snow a 12 months, in response to the Nationwide Climate Service.
Waymo has additionally proven some curiosity within the metropolis of Boston. In Could, it despatched a small fleet of robotaxis, pushed by human drivers, to map Boston’s distinctive driving setting.
New York Metropolis’s snowfall can differ drastically relying on the 12 months. For instance, within the 2024-2025 season, the town noticed 12.9 inches of snow. However only a few years in the past, within the 2020-2021 season, it noticed 38.6 inches. There probably gained’t be snow in NYC over the subsequent month. But when Waymo extends this trial within the Huge Apple, snow might turn out to be an element in direction of the top of the 12 months.
“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 carry this life saving expertise to New Yorkers at some point, starting with receiving the first-ever allow issued within the metropolis to drive autonomously,” mentioned Annabel Chang, head of U.S. state and native public coverage, Waymo. “We consider it’s important for corporations to collaborate straight with cities on the rollout of autonomous expertise 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 car operations
Earlier this 12 months, New York Metropolis established security necessities for protected AV testing within the metropolis. The necessities arrange a framework for AV builders to check within the metropolis.
“As autonomous car expertise expands throughout the nation, DOT has put in place complete security pointers to make sure protected, accountable testing on our metropolis’s streets,” mentioned NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “These necessities will assist make sure that the event of this expertise is concentrated, at first, on the protection of everybody who shares our busy metropolis streets.”
The rules say that any AV testing within the metropolis should not unduly impede visitors circulation, pedestrian and bike 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 expertise
- Assessment the scope of the proposed testing plan
- Assessment the applicant’s take a look at car operator coaching program
- Focus on the corporate’s method to security, notably as demonstrated by way of earlier city testing expertise
