Waymo said on Wednesday that New York City regulators have extended its autonomous vehicle testing permit through the end of the year, allowing the company to continue operating its robotaxis in Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn with human safety operators behind the wheel.
The original permit, granted in August, allowed Waymo to deploy up to eight Jaguar I-Pace vehicles in the city until the end of September. Under the extension, the terms remain the same, including an exemption from state rules requiring drivers to keep one hand on the wheel at all times, a Waymo spokesperson said.
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The extension marks a step toward Waymo potentially becoming the first autonomous vehicle (AV) company to operate a robotaxi service in New York City, a market the Alphabet-owned company has sought to enter since 2021. Waymo currently runs commercial AV services in San Francisco, Austin, Atlanta, Phoenix, and Los Angeles, and plans to expand to Miami, Washington, D.C., Dallas, Denver, and Nashville within the next year.
“As sponsor of legislation on autonomous vehicles at the state level, I’m encouraged to see New York City moving forward with testing that will show us how this technology can improve safety, reduce congestion, and expand mobility,” Assemblymember Brian Cunningham said in a statement.
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Waymo still faces regulatory hurdles in New York. The company cannot carry passengers or operate a commercial robotaxi service without additional licenses from the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC). There is also currently no permitting framework in the city that allows AVs to operate without a human safety driver, though legislation has been introduced to enable driverless testing.
Gallery: Waymo Autonomous Robotaxi