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Drivers across the city held a rally protesting the driverless cars, arguing that the company is attempting to "replace over 200,000 drivers" in the city.
NEW YORK – "It's Way-No!"
The New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers (NYSFTD) is saying no to Waymo's self-driving cars being tested in New York City.
What we know:
The NYSFTD protested outside New York Governor Kathy Hochul's office yesterday, asking her to halt Waymo's testing of its self-driving vehicles in New York City.
Google's parent company and owner of Waymo, Alphabet, applied for a permit with New York City's Department of Transportation (DOT) to test its autonomous vehicles in June.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the DOT approved the permit four days ago.
The NYSFTD said it fears that hundreds of thousands of drivers are at risk of losing their jobs if Waymo becomes a permanent fixture in the city.
"They're trying to replace 200,000 men and women that make the city move today," NYSFTD spokesperson Fernando Mateo told the press at the protest.
Dig deeper:
The DOT has a page on its website specifically regarding driverless vehicles.
"NYC DOT encourages innovation by facilitating the responsible testing of new technologies and services that may contribute to a safer, more equitable, more sustainable, and more efficient transportation system."
The department explains that applicants may test their driverless vehicles anywhere in the city, so long as they obtain approval first and there is a test vehicle operator present, to comply with state law.
Big picture view:
Waymo's driverless cars are on the roads in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Austin. 
The Source: This article includes information from previous FOX 5 NY reporting.
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