Waymo’s big chance to bring its robotic axis to New York state has been dashed — for now.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul withdrew a proposal that would have amended vehicle and traffic laws to effectively legalize robotaxis in the state outside of New York City. Hochul spokesman Sean Butler confirmed to TechCrunch that the proposal has been withdrawn.
“Based on conversations with stakeholders, including the Legislature, it was clear that support for this proposal did not exist,” Butler said in an emailed statement. Bloomberg first reported that the proposal had been removed.
The recall is a setback for Waymo, which has sought for years — along with other autonomous vehicle (AV) companies — to test and possibly deploy robotaxis in New York.
“We’ve heard from thousands of New Yorkers who have experienced Waymo in other cities and want to access it at home,” Waymo said in a statement emailed to TechCrunch.
“They want the safety, privacy and convenience that riders already enjoy in other major cities. While we are disappointed by the governor’s decision, we are committed to bringing our service to New York and will work with the state legislature to move this issue forward.”
“The path forward requires a collaborative approach that prioritizes transparency and public safety. We will continue to engage constructively with the Governor, the Legislature and officials across the state to provide this proven mobility option that New Yorkers have been waiting for,” Waymo added.
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As part of his broader budget proposal, Hochul introduced a plan to change a state law that requires drivers to keep one hand on the wheel at all times. The law essentially prevents robotaxi companies like Waymo from operating in the state because there is no human behind the wheel — if there is a wheel at all.
Even if Hochul’s proposal survives, it would not open the floodgates for AV companies. The proposal included a number of restrictions, including that AV companies could not deploy robotaxi-for-hire services in any city with more than a million people. AV companies would also need approval from the state transportation commissioner, pay a $1 million fee and show financial security of at least $5 million. The state would support robotaxi pilots only in cities or towns where there was a clear demonstration of local support, Butler said.
With that proposal dead, the state’s existing AV pilot program, which is much more stringent, is expected to remain in place. Under the pilot program, companies can apply for an exemption from the one-hand-on-the-wheel rule, allowing them to develop and test autonomous vehicles in the state but not launch commercial robotaxi services.
Waymo is currently testing in New York and can do so until March 31.
New York City regulators granted Waymo permission last August to test its robotic axis in the city. Under the permit, Waymo can test up to eight of its Jaguar I-Pace vehicles in Manhattan and downtown Brooklyn with a human safety operator behind the wheel.
Waymo is active in many other states and operates commercial robotaxi services in Atlanta, Austin, Miami, Phoenix, Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. The company says it provides more than 400,000 paid rides each week and is targeting 1 million rides per week by the end of the year.