Waymo, an Alphabet subsidiary, has received its first permit from New York City’s Department of Transportation to test autonomous vehicles in Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn. The testing will begin by late September and may be extended. New York state law requires a trained specialist to be present behind the wheel.
The company is expanding its nationwide services after recently launching operations in Austin, San Francisco, Atlanta, Miami, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. Waymo’s CEO announced that the company surpassed 10 million robotaxi trips in May.
New York City has been eager to introduce autonomous vehicles, with the Adams administration implementing safety requirements last year and opening a permit program. The city has welcomed Waymo’s move, calling it an “innovative way to safely move our city forward.”
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/22/waymo-permit-new-york-city-nyc-rides.html