New York’s governor is paving the way for robotaxis everywhere, with one notable exception

New York Governor Kathy Hochul plans to introduce legislation that would legalize robo-taxis in the state, except in the most populous city: New York City.

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

Details regarding the proposed legislation and when it will be released are scant. However, there are some hints included Within a document Which outlines a set of proposals and promises made by Hochul in her State of the State address.

Among them is language to expand the state’s current autonomous vehicle pilot program to allow “limited deployment of commercial autonomous passenger vehicles for rent outside of New York City.”

The document goes on to say that companies that want to operate robot services commercially will have to submit applications that “demonstrate local support for the deployment of autonomous vehicles and adherence to the highest possible safety standards.”

It is not clear what “limited spread” or “highest possible safety standards” means. The document also does not explain how the state will track or make judgments on a company’s safety record, other than 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 will be shared in the governor’s executive budget proposal, which is scheduled to be released on January 20.

However, these statements were enough to cheer up Alphabet-owned Waymo.

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

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

Waymo and other companies have tried for years to enter New York state 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, as there is no human behind the wheel, if there is a steering wheel at all.

The state’s AV pilot program provided an exception to this rule, theoretically allowing companies to develop and test self-driving vehicles in the state.

However, significant hurdles remain, especially in New York City. 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 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 through March 31.

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

And while Legislation has been introduced Last year to create a framework for driverless operation, it languished in the state Senate Transportation Committee. The governor’s proposal could help ease the bottleneck.