Overview
- The scrapped proposal would have enabled tightly limited commercial pilots outside New York City, barring deployments in cities over 1 million residents and requiring state transportation approval, a $1 million application fee and $5 million in financial security.
- With the rollback, New York’s more restrictive pilot regime remains, permitting testing with human safety drivers but not commercial robotaxi service.
- Waymo’s New York City testing continues under a permit allowing up to eight Jaguar I‑Pace vehicles in Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn with a safety operator through March 31.
- Driver unions and safety advocates campaigned against expansion and polling showed broad skepticism about safety and job impacts, while some legislators have proposed requiring a human behind the wheel.
- Waymo said it was disappointed and will keep working with lawmakers to enable service, as Senate Transportation Chair Jeremy Cooney signaled he will pursue a standalone bill outside the budget process.