Waymo plans self-driving vehicle test in NYC, eyes expansion

Core Points - Waymo plans to introduce a fleet of autonomous vehicles in New York City starting next month, having applied for a permit to test a small fleet in Manhattan with a trained specialist behind the wheel [1][2] - The company aims for a future where it can operate fully autonomous vehicles without human supervision, pushing for changes in New York state law to facilitate this [3] - Waymo currently operates 1,500 fully-electric autonomous cars across major cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin, providing over 250,000 fully autonomous paid trips each week [3][8] Challenges - New York City presents unique challenges for autonomous driving, including jaywalkers, cyclists, horse-drawn carriages, and frequent construction work, which necessitates manual driving in Manhattan while awaiting permit approval [4] - The company has faced operational complications, including a recent halt of its self-driving service in downtown Los Angeles due to protests and a recall of its fleet over a software glitch that increased crash risks [9][10]