New York governor pulls robotaxi expansion proposal for cities outside Big Apple | New York
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has withdrawn her proposal to allow commercial robotaxi services in smaller cities outside New York City, the governor’s spokeswoman said Thursday.
“Based on discussions with stakeholders, including the legislature, it was clear that the support was not there to advance this proposal,” the spokesperson said.
The move is seen as a setback for Alphabet’s Waymo, which last year received its first permit to begin testing its autonomous vehicles in New York City, albeit with a trained expert behind the wheel. The permit is still in effect, and Waymo’s plans for New York City will likely proceed, as Hochul’s aborted bid covered areas outside the Big Apple.
The Alphabet subsidiary, which offers paid driverless rides to the public in cities in the San Francisco Bay Area as well as parts of Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin, Atlanta and other cities, was hoping to gain an already sizeable foothold in the robotaxi market and tap into a large pool of new users.
“While we are disappointed in the Governor’s decision, we are committed to bringing our service to New York and will work with the state legislature to move this forward,” a spokesperson for Waymo said. “We’re hearing from thousands of New Yorkers who have experienced Waymo in other cities and want access at home, too.”
While Waymo’s safety records haven’t recorded major injuries like General Motors’ Cruise, which shut down after one of its cars dragged a woman through a San Francisco intersection, its autonomous driving operations already face a difficult road to commercialization as the technology is under intense scrutiny over safety concerns after crashes.
“Autonomous vehicles are already lowering crash rates and improving pedestrian safety in Arizona, California and Texas. Governor Hochul’s withdrawal of his proposal is disappointing because New Yorkers deserve the same proven protections,” said Adam Kovacevich, CEO of Chamber for Progress.
