Waymo plans to launch a fully autonomous robotaxi service in New York City, but first needs to change state law to allow its vehicles to operate without safety drivers. The company has applied for a permit from the city’s Department of Transportation to test its vehicles with safety drivers. If granted, it would be the first permit allowed under the city’s new process for regulating autonomous test vehicles.
New York state law requires a test vehicle operator to be present and ready to assume control of the vehicle while the autonomous technology is in operation. Waymo is actively lobbying to change the law to allow for autonomous vehicles without safety drivers. A bill was introduced earlier this year that would permit autonomous vehicles with certain conditions, but it’s currently under consideration by the state Senate’s transportation committee.
NYC has some of the most challenging streets in the world, making it difficult for autonomous vehicles to navigate safely. Lawmakers have expressed reservations about fully driverless vehicles, and there’s uncertainty whether the state will amend its laws to allow them.
Despite this, Waymo plans to start collecting mapping data with manually driven vehicles in Manhattan next month. The company is currently operating a robotaxi fleet of 1,500 vehicles in four markets: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin. It aims to expand its service to Atlanta later this year, along with Miami and Washington, DC.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/689093/waymo-nyc-permit-autonomous-testing-new-york-state