Waymo already operates self-driving taxis in several American cities; the next to come is the biggest of them all, New York. The firm said late last week that its vehicles would return to the city next month for testing, with humans currently on board.
Waymo has applied for a permit from the New York City Department of Transportation to operate autonomously, with a trained specialist behind the wheel. "We fully intend to launch our fully autonomous ride-hailing service in the city in the future," the company stated.
Until it obtains that permit, the vehicles will be driven by a human. If the city approves the project, it will be the first experimental deployment of self-driving vehicles within New York City limits. State law currently does not allow a vehicle to be driven without a human behind the wheel. Waymo says it is actively advocating for a change in the law.
As Reuters, which reported this news, reminds us, the company had already operated its cars in Manhattan in 2021, with a driver, to conduct tests and collect data.
Waymo is working hard to expand services, especially since Tesla's robotaxis are preparing to make their debut. In California, where the firm has obtained permission to expand operations, other areas of the San Francisco peninsula are targeted, as well as parts of Silicon Valley.
For the moment, Waymo is the only American company offering self-driving taxi services with paying passengers. Waymo has over 1,500 vehicles that carry out more than 250,000 trips per week in San Francisco and Los Angeles in California, as well as in Phoenix, Arizona and Austin, Texas. Miami is also in the company's sights for a service starting in 2026, as is New York.