New York Governor Paves the Way for Robotaxis Everywhere, With One Notable Exception

New York Governor Kathy Hochul is considering introducing legislation that would effectively legalize robotaxis in the state, with the exception of its most populous metropolis: New York.

Hochul, who made the comments Tuesday during his State of the State address, said the legislation would advance the next phase of the state’s autonomous vehicle pilot program.

Details about the proposed bill and when it might be released are scarce. However, some clues are contained in a document which outlines an array of proposals and promises made by Hochul in his State of the State address.

Among them is language to expand the state’s existing AV pilot program to allow “limited deployment of commercial self-driving passenger vehicles for hire outside of New York City.”

The document goes on to say that companies wishing to commercially operate robotaxi services will need to submit applications that “demonstrate local support for AV deployment and adherence to the highest possible safety standards.”

It is not clear what “limited deployment” or “highest possible security standards” mean. The document also does not specify how the state will track or make judgments about a company’s safety record, except that multiple agencies will be involved, including the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Transportation and the New York State Police.

The governor’s office told TechCrunch that more information will be shared in the governor’s executive budget proposal expected to be released on January 20.

Still, the remarks were enough of an opening to encourage Alphabet-owned Waymo.

“Governor Hochul’s proposal to legalize fully autonomous vehicles is a transformative moment for New York’s transportation system,” Justin Kintz, Waymo’s head of global public policy, said in an emailed statement.

“Under the Governor’s leadership, New York has the opportunity to combine its investments in slower speeds, better traffic enforcement and first-in-the-nation congestion management strategies with Waymo’s demonstrably safe technology, creating a future where living in New York is safer, easier and more accessible. We are ready to work with leaders across the state to make this future a reality and bring new infrastructure, career opportunities and investments to the Empire State,” said Kintz.

Waymo and other companies have tried to enter New York state for years, with limited success. Current New York State law requires drivers to keep one hand on the wheel at all times. This poses a problem for robotaxi operators like Waymo since no humans are behind the wheel – if there is a steering wheel at all.

The state’s AV pilot program provided an exemption to this rule, theoretically allowing companies to develop and test autonomous vehicles in the state.

However, there are significant obstacles, particularly in New York. Last August, city regulators granted Waymo a permit to test its robotaxis in the densely populated city. Under the permit, Waymo can deploy up to eight of its Jaguar I-Pace vehicles in Manhattan and downtown Brooklyn with a human safety operator behind the wheel. A Waymo spokesperson told TechCrunch that the permit has been extended until March 31.

Even with this permit, Waymo cannot transport passengers or operate a commercial robotaxi service without obtaining separate licenses from the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission.

And while legislation was introduced Last year, to create a framework for driverless operation, the project languished in the state Senate Transportation Committee. The governor’s proposal could help ease that bottleneck.