
Waymo's Vision for Northeast: Robotaxis Set to Hit Philadelphia and NYC
2025-07-07
Author: Ken Lee
Waymo Expands Its Horizons
Waymo, the autonomous driving pioneer under Alphabet, has officially embarked on exciting "road trips" to Philadelphia and New York City, showcasing its ambition to conquer the Northeastern market.
What Are These 'Road Trips'?
While these trips are thrilling news, don’t expect an immediate commercial rollout. Waymo has previously announced similar excursions to cities like Houston, Orlando, and San Diego. These trips typically involve deploying a fleet of human-driven cars outfitted with Waymo's self-driving technology to map the city and analyze its roads before testing the vehicles autonomously, albeit with a human still present.
A Path to Potential Commercial Launch
Interestingly, past road trips have often led to actual service launches. Just this year, a trip to Santa Monica paved the way for a commercial operation in the greater Los Angeles area, encompassing hotspots like Beverly Hills and Hollywood.
Philadelphia's Urban Challenge
For its venture into Philadelphia, Waymo plans to navigate the city's most intricate areas, including downtown and major highways. Residents can expect to see Waymo vehicles traversing neighborhoods across the city, from North Central to Eastwick and even along the Delaware River.
New York City: Testing Amidst the Buzz
In NYC, Waymo will manually operate its cars in bustling Manhattan, covering routes from Central Park to The Battery and venturing into Downtown Brooklyn, along with mapping parts of New Jersey's Jersey City and Hoboken.
Awaiting Approval for Autonomous Testing
Last month, Waymo applied for a permit to test its autonomous vehicles in New York City, though approval is still pending. This isn’t Waymo’s first rodeo in the Big Apple; the company initially rolled out a small fleet in late 2021 for mapping purposes and even tested its vehicles in Buffalo’s winter conditions.
Navigating NYC's Regulations
However, even with approval, a fully autonomous dream is quite the uphill battle. NYC's current regulations prohibit vehicles from operating without a human in the driver’s seat, a law Waymo is actively trying to change. The road ahead may be long, but Waymo's commitment is unwavering.