Waymo just can’t seem to catch a … brake.
The Google subsidiary took a strategic hit on Thursday when New York Gov. Kathy Hochul withdrew her proposal for robotaxi services in the areas surrounding New York City. The proposal drew pushback from transit workers and rideshare drivers, in an ironic moment reminiscent of the early days of Uber. The support just wasn’t there, according to the governor’s spokesperson.
The news doesn’t affect testing in New York City, which is ongoing. But it’s an illustration of the mountainous problem facing robotaxi services in the US. Even when expansion approvals are greenlit by people in power — which has been difficult enough for Waymo — they can be rescinded when support in hyperlocal jurisdictions appears stunted. The effect, at scale, is the kind of fractured regulatory landscape tech companies spend big money fighting against.
While New York City is still a big get for Waymo, it has perhaps the best supported public transportation infrastructure in the entire US, with rideshare cars also available in under five minutes, no matter where in the city you are. New York doesn’t need Waymo. Where it could have had a real impact is suburban places like Rochester, Buffalo, and Albany, which rely more heavily on road transport.