Waymo can now test its self-driving vehicles in New York City

Waymo, a self-driving car company, has received a permit from New York City authorities to test its autonomous vehicles in parts of Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn. This is the first-ever permit granted by the city for the "testing deployment" of self-driving cars. Under the permit, Waymo will be able to deploy a fleet of up to eight vehicles until late September 2025. However, for now, the permit only allows for testing with drivers behind the wheel, as New York state law currently prohibits the operation of vehicles without a human driver. Waymo has announced plans to test its driverless system in 10 new cities in 2025, and the company filed a request to test its autonomous vehicles in New York City earlier this year. The company will be required to regularly report data gathered from the testing to the Department of Transportation to ensure it is adhering to industry best practices related to cybersecurity.