Waymo’s large probability to carry its robotaxis to the state of New York has been thwarted — for now.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul withdrew a proposal that will have amended automobile and visitors legal guidelines to successfully legalize robotaxis within the state outdoors of New York Metropolis. Hochul spokesperson Sean Butler confirmed to TechCrunch that the proposal has been pulled.
“Based mostly on conversations with stakeholders, together with within the legislature, it was clear that the help was not there to advance this proposal,” Butler mentioned in an emailed assertion. Bloomberg was the first to report the proposal had been eliminated.
The withdrawal is a setback for Waymo which has tried for years — together with different autonomous automobile (AV) firms — to check and finally deploy robotaxis in New York.
“We hear from hundreds of New Yorkers who’ve skilled Waymo in different cities and wish entry to it at residence,” Waymo mentioned in an announcement emailed to TechCrunch.
“They need the security, privateness, and luxury that riders in different main cities already get pleasure from. Whereas we’re upset by the Governor’s choice, we’re dedicated to bringing our service to New York and can work with the State Legislature to advance this problem.”
“The trail ahead requires a collaborative method that prioritizes transparency and public security. We’ll proceed to interact constructively with the Governor, the Legislature, and officers across the state to ship this confirmed mobility possibility that New Yorkers are ready for,” added Waymo’s assertion.
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June 23, 2026
Hochul had launched, as a part of her broader funds proposal, a plan to alter a state regulation that mandates drivers hold one hand on the wheel always. That regulation primarily prevents robotaxi firms like Waymo from working within the state since no human is behind the wheel — if there’s a steering wheel in any respect.
Even when Hochul’s proposal had survived, it could not have opened the floodgates to AV firms. The proposal contained plenty of limitations, together with that AV firms couldn’t deploy for-hire robotaxi providers in any metropolis with greater than one million folks. AV firms would additionally want approval from the state’s transportation commissioner, pay a $1 million price, and present proof of economic safety of no less than $5 million. The state would have solely backed robotaxi pilots in cities or townships the place there was a transparent demonstration of native help, Butler mentioned.
With that proposal useless, the state’s present AV pilot program, which is way extra restrictive, is predicted to stay. Beneath the pilot program, firms can search an exemption to the one-hand on the wheel rule, permitting them to develop and check autonomous autos within the state, however not launch business robotaxi providers.
Waymo is at present testing in New York Metropolis, and is allowed to take action by way of March 31.
New York Metropolis regulators granted a allow final August to Waymo to check its robotaxis within the metropolis. Beneath that allow, Waymo is allowed to check as much as eight of its Jaguar I-Tempo autos in Manhattan and downtown Brooklyn, so long as there’s a human security operator behind the wheel.
Waymo is lively in quite a few different states and operates business robotaxi providers in Atlanta, Austin, Miami, Phoenix, Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Space. The corporate says it offers greater than 400,000 paid rides each week and is concentrating on a million weekly rides by the tip of the yr.
