Waymo’s NYC Launch Features Training Wheels | Carscoops

      The autonomous driving company owned by Google is facing one of the most challenging urban environments, relying on human assistance.

      Waymo has submitted an application to test self-driving cars in New York City with human drivers.

      The company seeks to broaden its operations, as it is already testing in various U.S. cities.

      New York's challenging traffic conditions and safety regulations present significant obstacles for Waymo.

      The technology behind autonomous driving is swiftly integrating into our everyday lives, with increasing prominence. This month, while Tesla conducts tests in Austin, Waymo is also in the news. The Google-owned firm plans to trial its Level 5 autonomous technology in New York City, initially employing human drivers for safety prior to full-scale implementation.

      At present, Waymo operates over 1,500 driverless vehicles in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin. If successful, the company will soon extend its services to New York City, although it faces some challenges ahead. It has already indicated on its X account that it has applied to begin testing.

      If granted approval, testing is scheduled to commence next month with a human present in the vehicle. While it hasn't specified whether this person will actively drive or merely monitor, the expectation leans toward the latter. Waymo previously conducted tests in NYC back in 2021, but those vehicles were manually operated. Currently, state legislation prohibits fully autonomous vehicles in New York, but the company is striving to change that.

      A Waymo spokesperson informed Bloomberg: “We’re optimistic that New York can implement regulatory changes that would allow us to introduce our service in the city and state in the future, and we continue to engage positively with local and state officials, regulators, and community organizations.”

      Waymo expressed excitement about returning to New York, indicating a desire to serve New Yorkers in the future while actively working towards that objective.

      The company continues to expand its network in its existing cities. However, New York City presents unique challenges, being one of the few locations in the U.S. with the combination of heavy traffic, pedestrians, and cyclists interacting as they do.

      This development occurs amidst growing competition to capture market share in this sector. In addition to Tesla's efforts to align closely with Waymo, Amazon-owned Zoox recently announced plans to establish a manufacturing facility in the U.S., aiming to produce approximately 10,000 autonomous vehicles annually at full capacity.