Business Desk 
Aug 23, 2025
Waymo, the self-driving tech company owned by Alphabet, has received its first permit to test autonomous vehicles in New York City. This represents a big milestone for the company as it looks to introduce its robotaxi services in one of the most difficult cities in the world.
The company can deploy up to eight Jaguar I-Pace electric SUVs in Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn until the end of September. As it operates in San Francisco, Austin, Phoenix, and Los Angeles, this time the company faces NYC traffic with dense urbanism, poor weather, and interaction with other urban road users.
Moreover, this test will include a trained safety operator behind the wheel at all times and with his/her/their hands on the steering wheel, which is a requirement of the city DOT.
Waymo cannot yet carry passengers. To do this, they would require a licence from the Taxi and Limousine Commission. The company will also have a regular cadence of meetings with local officials and share data about the tests.
This move is under a new safety framework introduced by Mayor Eric Adams in 2024 to ensure autonomous vehicle testing is done safely.
Waymo applied for the permit in June and spent months engaging with local authorities and advocacy groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
