New York Drivers Stop Robotaxis in the State Budget

Excerpts:

New York to Back Away From Robotaxi Pilot Programs Upstate

Gov. Kathy Hochul had proposed expanding the programs beyond New York City, but they do not have enough support, her office said.

In January, the governor’s office included language in the state’s executive budget that would have enabled communities outside the city to allow a number of so-called robotaxis to pick up passengers. The proposal would have permitted private companies, like Waymo, Uber and others, to seek approval from local governments, if they could prove the concept’s popularity with residents.

Ms. Hochul praised the proposal in January as a boon for road safety and for transportation options outside New York City. But a month later, even that tentative language is expected to be removed from the budget.

“Based on conversations with stakeholders, including in the Legislature, it was clear that the support was not there to advance this proposal,” Sean Butler, a spokesman for the governor, said in a statement. Ms. Hochul’s decision was first reported by Politico.

Groups representing drivers of taxis and for-hire vehicles have strongly opposed robotaxis. And Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who is closely allied with cabdrivers, has expressed skepticism about their use in New York City, perhaps the biggest test remaining for the autonomous vehicle industry.

Brendan Sexton, the president of the Independent Drivers Guild, called the pullback “a major win for ride-share workers and an important step for public safety and working families.” The guild represents more than 140,000 drivers in New York State.

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