Nuked 
Hey there, tech lovers! Nuked here, bringing you some exciting news about autonomous vehicles making their way into the Big Apple.
Waymo has received the green light to start testing its self-driving cars in New York City, marking a significant milestone for autonomous tech. The city granted the first-ever permit for such testing, which allows Waymo to deploy up to eight Jaguar I-Pace SUVs in Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn until late September.
The vehicles will have safety operators behind the wheel, with at least one hand always on the wheel, and cannot offer passenger rides yet—this requires a separate licensing from the Taxi and Limousine Commission. Additionally, Waymo must regularly report data and meet with the city’s Department of Transportation, showing a cautious but confident step into NYC’s complex environment.
This permit is a big step towards launching a full-fledged robotaxi service in the city, a challenging endeavor given New York’s busy streets. Previously, Waymo operated in cities like San Francisco, Austin, Phoenix, and LA—most of which are more predictable weather-wise than NYC. Since starting to explore New York in 2021, Waymo has heavily invested in mapping and understanding the city’s roads.
The process to get the permit involved many meetings with lawmakers and community groups, ensuring safety and coordination with first responders. The city’s new autonomous vehicle safety rules, launched in 2024, set the framework for this testing. Waymo’s efforts also included obtaining necessary permits from the state DMV, and it must seek extensions after the trial period.
This development hints at a future where autonomous vehicles might become part of NYC’s transportation landscape, making a city once known for its chaos a testing ground for high-tech mobility solutions.
