Waymo brought its fully autonomous ride-hailing technology to upstate New York this week as the company intensifies efforts to legalize driverless vehicles across the state.
While concerns mount among New York City taxi drivers who fear the technology threatens their livelihoods.
The autonomous vehicle company showcased one of its self-driving cars Tuesday at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, offering students a firsthand look at technology that remains illegal to operate without a human driver in New York. The demonstration comes as State Senator Jeremy Cooney sponsors legislation that would allow autonomous vehicles to operate on New York roads without a human behind the wheel.
Legislative Push Gains Momentum
Cooney, who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee and is a 2004 graduate of the colleges, compared the current regulatory situation to New York’s initial reluctance to embrace ride-sharing platforms. “I remember a time in New York when Uber and Lyft and ride-sharing platforms weren’t allowed in one part of the state versus another part of the state, and we should learn from that mistake,” Cooney said.
His bill, S344, would create a regulatory framework allowing fully autonomous vehicles to operate on state roads, defining the automated driving system itself as the vehicle’s driver and operator. Currently, New York state law requires all vehicles to be operated by humans.
The legislation faces opposition from taxi drivers and transit advocates. The New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers has warned that approximately 200,000 drivers could be at risk of losing their jobs if autonomous vehicles are permitted. Fernando Mateo, spokesperson for the federation, said drivers protested outside Governor Kathy Hochul’s office in August, calling Waymo’s arrival “Way No”.
Safety Data and Student Reactions
Waymo representatives emphasized the technology’s safety record during the campus visit. The company reports its vehicles are involved in 80% fewer injury-causing crashes compared to human drivers over the same distance. More recent data shows 91% fewer serious injury or worse crashes based on over 71 million autonomous miles driven through March 2025.
Student reactions were mixed. Caely McCormick, who has experience with Waymo in Arizona where the service operates commercially, shared positive feedback. “I’ve been on a Waymo twice,” McCormick said. “I felt pretty safe. There were, like, some reckless drivers around me when I was in one. But it was, you know, checking blind spots, taking its time, merging. The speed was exactly on point”.
Other students questioned whether New York is ready for the technology. Waymo currently has a vehicle mapping Rochester with a driver behind the wheel and must report quarterly to New York State on safety concerns, mishaps, violations, or accidents.
The company received its first permit from New York City in August to test up to eight vehicles in Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn with safety operators, with that permit extended through the end of 2025. However, expanding beyond testing would require both state legislation and additional city approvals from the Taxi and Limousine Commission, wrote Perplaxity.
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