Waymo Expands Robotaxi Service to Philadelphia & NYC

Waymo Expands Autonomous Vehicle Testing to Northeastern Cities

Waymo initiated two exploratory “road trips” on Monday, targeting Philadelphia and New York City. This move demonstrates the company’s ambition to extend its operations into major urban centers in the Northeastern United States.

Mapping and Data Collection

These “road trips” undertaken by the Alphabet-owned company do not immediately indicate an impending commercial rollout. Waymo has been conducting similar assessments in multiple cities throughout the year, including Houston, Orlando, Las Vegas, San Diego, and San Antonio.

The process typically involves deploying a limited number of vehicles, driven by human safety operators, that are equipped with Waymo’s advanced autonomous driving system. These vehicles are used to meticulously map the new city’s roadways.

Following the mapping phase, Waymo conducts autonomous testing, still with a human driver present, to gather valuable data. This information is then analyzed by engineers to refine and enhance the performance of the AI driver.

Previous Road Trips and Commercial Launches

In several instances, these exploratory road trips have directly preceded commercial service launches. For example, a 2023 trip to Santa Monica, California, paved the way for Waymo’s current commercial operations in Los Angeles.

This service now encompasses areas such as Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and Hollywood.

Philadelphia and New York City Testing Plans

Regarding the Philadelphia initiative, Waymo intends to focus testing in the city’s most challenging areas. This includes both the downtown core and the extensive freeway network, as stated by a company spokesperson.

Residents can expect to observe Waymo vehicles operating “at all hours” across diverse Philadelphia neighborhoods. These include North Central, Eastwick, University City, and areas extending eastward towards the Delaware River.

In New York City, initial manual driving will be confined to Manhattan, specifically from just north of Central Park down to The Battery, and select portions of Downtown Brooklyn.

The company also plans to map sections of Jersey City and Hoboken, located in New Jersey.

Regulatory Approvals and Past Efforts

Waymo recently submitted an application last month seeking a permit to test its autonomous vehicles (AVs) in New York City with a human safety driver. Approval for this testing is currently pending.

This isn’t Waymo’s first foray into the New York metropolitan area. A smaller fleet of vehicles was initially deployed in late 2021 to map parts of Manhattan and New Jersey.

Furthermore, during the past winter, the company conducted a road trip to Buffalo, New York, to evaluate self-driving capabilities in challenging winter weather conditions.

Challenges and Future Expansion

Even with approval for supervised autonomous testing in NYC, full commercial deployment faces hurdles. Current New York City regulations prohibit the operation of self-driving vehicles without a human driver present. Waymo is actively advocating for changes to these regulations.

Waymo’s ongoing testing nationwide is supported by its existing commercial robotaxi services. These services are currently available in Atlanta, Austin, the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Phoenix.

The company anticipates launching services in Miami this year and Washington, D.C., in 2026.