Waymo robotaxi rides in New York City are not happening anytime soon, with the testing phase of the company now over in the Big Apple without any explanations from the company.

What Happened to Waymo's NYC Testing?

According to a report by The City, the New York City Department of Transportation confirmed that permits issued by the city and the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, which allowed Waymo to test its vehicles, had already expired last month.

Waymo had been testing eight vehicles with trained safety specialists on board in downtown Brooklyn and south of 112th Street in Manhattan since last year.

The company has not reported any collisions involving the vehicles during the testing period.

Waymo's NYC Operations Remain Uncertain

According to Gizmodo, New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently rolled back plans to allow Waymo to test its vehicles in several upstate cities after the proposal failed to gain support from lawmakers.

New York City's mayor was not exactly reassuring either. Mayor Zohran Mamdani was hesitant to give a clear answer when asked whether his administration would renew Waymo's city permit if the state DMV signs off on its testing license.

He emphasized his administration's commitment to workers, specifically citing taxi drivers who he said had long been promised a path to the middle class.

A Waymo spokesperson told The City that the company would evaluate its operations in New York City if the DMV testing permit is renewed in this year's state budget.

This is a notable pause for Waymo Robotaxi testing in New York City, especially as the company continues expanding elsewhere. Waymo now operates in about 10 metro areas, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Miami, with plans to expand to more cities.

For now, New York City remains the one major market where Waymo Robotaxi operations appear stuck without a clear path forward.