Waymo Granted First Permit To Being Testing Autonomous Vehicles In NYC

Waymo has received its first permit from the New York City Department of Transportation to begin testing autonomous vehicles in Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn, marking the city's first official rollout of self-driving car trials. The program will initially deploy up to eight vehicles with safety drivers through late September, with the potential to extend and expand into other boroughs. CNBC reports: New York state law requires the company to have a driver behind the wheel to operate. 'We're a tech-friendly administration and we're always looking for innovative ways to safely move our city forward,' [Mayor Eric Adams] said in a release. 'New York City is proud to welcome Waymo to test this new technology in Manhattan and Brooklyn, as we know this testing is only the first step in moving our city further into the 21st century.'

The news comes just two months after the company said it filed permits to test its cars in the city with a trained specialist behind the wheel. As part of the permit, Waymo must regularly meet and report data to DOT and work closely with law enforcement and emergency services.

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