Waymo plans self-driving vehicle test in NYC, eyes expansion
Share this @internewscast.com

Ride-hailing pioneer Waymo said it aims to bring a fleet of autonomous vehicles to New York City beginning next month.

Waymo, the company under Google parent Alphabet, announced on Wednesday that it has submitted a permit application with the city’s Department of Transportation. The goal is to test a “small fleet” of self-driving cars in Manhattan, each with a trained specialist onboard to monitor operations.

“This is not an expansion, but we intend to eventually introduce our fully autonomous ride-hailing service to the city,” Waymo said in a statement.

The company is advocating for a broader revision in New York state law, which would permit the operation of fully driverless vehicles without any human supervision inside the car.

It previously drove some of its vehicles through the densely-populated city for a few months in 2021, but these were fully operated by human drivers and used to map city streets.

Waymo currently operates 1,500 fully-electric, autonomous cars across San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Austin.

But New York City comes with its own unique set of challenges – like jaywalkers, cyclists who veer out of bike lanes, horse-drawn carriages, frequent construction work and zig-zagging taxi cabs.

It plans to drive vehicles manually throughout Manhattan, like it did in 2021, as it waits for permit approval.

The NYC Department of Transportation and Governor Kathy Hochul’s office did not immediately respond to The Post’s requests for comment.

Waymo has grown massively since its creation in 2009 as Google’s Self-Driving Car Project.

Now, it provides more than 250,000 fully autonomous paid trips each week across major US cities.

The service claims to make “roads safer” with fewer injury-causing crashes compared to an average human driver.

But operating vehicles without human drivers is not without its complications.

Most recently, Waymo was forced to halt its self-driving service in downtown Los Angeles after five of its vehicles were set ablaze during volatile anti-ICE protests.

Earlier in the year, it recalled nearly its entire fleet over a software glitch that could make the vehicles more likely to crash into chains, gates and other roadway barriers.

The vehicles have enraged California residents with incessant beeping, “trapped” passengers inside while screeching to a stop in the middle of a highway and been involved in nearly 20 crashes.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Mock funeral held for the penny at Lincoln Memorial as 230-year coin production ends

Farewell to the Penny: Historic Mock Funeral at Lincoln Memorial Marks End of 230-Year Coin Legacy

A crowd gathered in Washington, D.C., on Saturday to bid a symbolic…
MLB news: Chicago White Sox add Japanese baseball star Munetaka Murakami with $34 million, 2-year contract

White Sox Secure Japanese Sensation Munetaka Murakami with $34 Million, Two-Year Deal

CHICAGO — In a strategic move to bolster their lineup, the Chicago…
Yankees re-signing Paul Blackburn to one-year deal

Yankees Secure Paul Blackburn with a One-Year Contract Renewal

The Yankees are set to welcome back another familiar face from their…
Australian immigrant who tackled gunman 'riddled with bullets,' but 'said he’d do it again,' lawyer says

Fundraiser for Australian Hero Who Neutralized Bondi Beach Terrorist Exceeds $2.6 Million

More than $2.6 million has been raised in support of a man…
Could buying enough Powerball tickets guarantee a win?

Cracking the Powerball Code: Can Purchasing Tickets in Bulk Secure a Jackpot Victory?

With the astronomical odds of 1 in 292 million, securing a Powerball…
US Coast Guard pursues third 'dark fleet' oil tanker as Trump targets Venezuelan sanctions evasion network

US Coast Guard Chases Another Hidden Oil Tanker Amid Trump’s Crackdown on Venezuelan Sanctions Evasion

The U.S. Coast Guard is actively chasing a sanctioned oil tanker near…
Yale professor’s father charged in mother’s decades-old murder, says he ‘used me as bait’: report

Yale Professor’s Father Indicted in Decades-Old Murder Case Involving Mother; Allegedly Used Son in Scheme: Report

A Yale professor has broken her silence regarding her 81-year-old father’s arrest,…
Colin Jost Gets Punked by Michael Che’s Brutal Christmas Joke Swap on ‘SNL’ 2025

Michael Che’s Hilarious Christmas Prank on Colin Jost: A Must-See SNL Moment!

For many seasons, Saturday Night Live co-anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che…
Former classmate says suspect in Brown, MIT killings was ‘socially awkward’ and ‘angry’ during college years

Ex-Classmate Reveals College Years of MIT and Brown Murder Suspect: ‘Socially Awkward and Angry

Reflecting on the tragic events at Brown University and MIT, a former…
Zohran Mamdani Criticized for ‘Staged’ Hanukkah Clip with Actor Mandy Patinkin

Zohran Mamdani Faces Backlash Over Allegedly ‘Staged’ Hanukkah Video Featuring Actor Mandy Patinkin

The recent Hanukkah video featuring Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani alongside actor Mandy Patinkin…
Man rushed to hospital in apparent self-inflicted shooting at Atlanta airport

Atlanta Airport Incident: Man Hospitalized After Alleged Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound

On Sunday afternoon, police in Atlanta swiftly responded to a shooting incident…
Iran executes man convicted of spying for Israeli intelligence

Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spy: Unveiling the High-Stakes Espionage Drama

Over the weekend, Iranian authorities executed a man accused of espionage on…