Waymo, a subsidiary of Google focusing on autonomous driving technology, has obtained its first official permit for testing self-driving cars in New York City.
Fox Business reported on the 25th (local time) that Waymo can test up to eight self-driving vehicles in parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Waymo, headquartered in California, operates approximately 1,500 vehicles across five cities in the United States, including San Francisco, Phoenix, and Austin. To date, it has accumulated over 10 million self-driving ride experiences.
Testing in New York City will be conducted under strict conditions. A trained autonomous driving expert must be present in the driver's seat, and according to New York state law, the driver must always be prepared to take control of the vehicle, even when the autonomous driving function is active.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams assessed this permit as "another step forward in moving New York City into the 21st century," while emphasizing, "We will always prioritize street safety and continue responsible innovation."
Waymo has previously collected data and conducted testing using manually driven vehicles in Manhattan in 2021.