Proposed legislation opens the door to robotaxi services in New York<p>Waymo, Alphabet's self-driving car company, <a target="_blank" class="link" href="
https://www.engadget.com/transportation/waymo-can-now-test-its-self-driving-vehicles-in-new-york-city-150015938.html" data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1">tested its autonomous vehicles[/url] in New York City in 2025, and as part of proposed legislation from New York Governor Kathy Hochul, the company could soon offer its services across the state, <a target="_blank" class="link rapid-with-clickid" href="
https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=fc65353f-45dc-4cd0-89be-ac2071680abb&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=1p-autolink&contentUuid=e055e1aa-7ca7-4431-925a-29b8b0037b75&featureId=text-link&merchantName=WIRED&linkText=Wired+reports&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53aXJlZC5jb20vc3RvcnkvcHJvcG9zZWQtbGVnaXNsYXRpb24tc2VsZi1kcml2aW5nLWNhcnMtaW4tbmV3LXlvcmstc3RhdGUvIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJlMDU1ZTFhYS03Y2E3LTQ0MzEtOTI1YS0yOWI4YjAwMzdiNzUiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LndpcmVkLmNvbS9zdG9yeS9wcm9wb3NlZC1sZWdpc2xhdGlvbi1zZWxmLWRyaXZpbmctY2Fycy1pbi1uZXcteW9yay1zdGF0ZS8ifQ&signature=AQAAAQCYCdn_ehpW4kIWiVW2hFTp5V94tosOVd7Yfe4rLBmI&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wired.com%2Fstory%2Fproposed-legislation-self-driving-cars-in-new-york-state%2F" data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:WIRED;elmt:;cpos:2;pos:1" data-original-link="
https://www.wired.com/story/proposed-legislation-self-driving-cars-in-new-york-state/">
Wired reports[/url].</p><p>Governor Hochul's proposed legislation was <a target="_blank" class="link" href="
https://digital.ny.gov/state-of-the-state-book-2026/#_Toc219064600:~:text=Safeguarding%20Our%20Roads-,Launching%20the%20Next%20Phase%20of%20the%20Autonomous%20Vehicle%20Pilot%20Program,-Autonomous%20vehicle%20technology" data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1">formally announced[/url] during a State of the State address covering policy proposals for the upcoming year. The new law, if passed, would loosen the state's restrictions on self-driving car companies by forming a pilot program that would allow for "the limited deployment of commercial for-hire autonomous passenger vehicles outside New York City." Applicants to the pilot program would need to demonstrate that they have "local support for [autonomous vehicle] deployment" and prove their "adherence to the highest possible safety standards" to be considered.</p><p>As a company with presumably good odds of being approved, Waymo supports the legislation. "Governor Hochul’s proposal to legalize fully autonomous vehicles is a transformative moment for New York's transportation system," Waymo's Head of Global Public Policy Justin Kintz said in a statement. "With the Governor’s leadership, New York has the opportunity to pair its investments in slower speeds, better traffic enforcement, and first-in-the-nation congestion management strategies with Waymo’s demonstrably safe technology, creating a future where living in New York is safer, easier, and more accessible."</p><p>Waymo already has commercial robotaxi services in select cities in California, Texas and Georgia, offered on its own or in partnership with Uber. The company announced <a target="_blank" class="link" href="
https://www.engadget.com/transportation/waymo-is-coming-to-five-more-cities-190000992.html" data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1">plans to expand in Texas and Florida[/url] late last year, and is <a target="_blank" class="link" href="
https://www.engadget.com/transportation/waymo-is-launching-in-three-new-cities-next-year-182515034.html" data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1">already committed[/url] to offering service in Las Vegas, San Diego and Detroit in 2026.
Wired reports Waymo spent over $370,000 lobbying regulators in New York about telecommunications and transportation issues in 2025, and based on today's announcement, it appears those efforts are paying off.</p><p></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/transportation/proposed-legislation-opens-the-door-to-robotaxi-services-in-new-york-193804671.html?src=rssSource:
Proposed legislation opens the door to robotaxi services in New York
