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Title: Waymo's Robotaxis Are Coming Back to New York City

Link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/06/18/1912...

Waymo plans to relaunch its robotaxi service in New York City, starting with
safety driver testing while lobbying to change state law to eventually allow
fully autonomous vehicles without human operators. The company has applied
for a permit and will begin mapping in Manhattan, though legislative hurdles
and skepticism from lawmakers remain. The Verge reports: A bill was
introduced in the New York State Legislature earlier this year that would
permit autonomous vehicles without safety drivers "provided that the
automated driving system is engaged and the vehicle meets certain
conditions." The bill is currently under consideration by the state Senate's
transportation committee. New York City also has some of the most dangerous,
congested, and poorly managed streets in the world. They are also full of
construction workers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and double- and sometimes even
triple-parked cars. In theory, this would make it very difficult for an
autonomous vehicle to navigate, given that AVs typically rely on good
weather, clear signage, and less aggressive driving from other road users for
safe operation. And it's not clear that the state will amend its laws to
allow for fully driverless vehicles, with some lawmakers expressing
reservations. "This kind of testing hasn't even been completed in other parts
of the country," state Senator John Liu told Daily News last year after the
city announced its new permitting process. "It would behoove New York City to
wait to see some of those other results of driverless technology in less
dense urban settings. This is an example of something where New York City
does not have to be first."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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