This very piece of text grasps the visible tension that exists between the prosperity of autonomous vehicles and existent reality. Although Waymo has proven that their technology works in cities like Phoenix and San Francisco, every challenge has its own hurdles and it could probably take them years to overcome this one.
The mention of New York City’s driver requirement law brings one thing to mind: the biggest barriers to AV deployment aren’t technical anymore. In fact, they’re political and regulatory. Waymo’s technology has logged millions of autonomous miles but a single city council vote can block their deployment entirely.
Their strategy is praiseworthy though. By conducting ‘road trips’ to map and test multiple cities at the same time, they’re dipping their hand in a pipeline of potential markets while persuading others for regulatory changes.
The focus on NYC is easily explainable because it represents the golden nugget of AV deployment. It’s the most complex and high density urban environment in America. Success in Manhattan would prove that the technology works anywhere, but the regulatory hurdles are proportionally higher. NYC’s resistance to driverless vehicles isn’t limited to safety. Broader urban concerns about job displacement and corporate control over public transportation, all are equally involved.
For the investors and industry watchers, this quote tells you the true timeline for AV adoption. While Waymo operates commercially in several cities, spreading to major metropolitan areas like NYC will need regulatory reform and not just technological improvement. If you think about it, the company that masters this political and regulatory game (not just the technical one) will ultimately dominate the robotaxi market.
To add to that, this political impediment also explains why AV companies are diversifying into freight, delivery and other applications where regulations are less restrictive. They’re probably buying time while urban markets slowly open up.
While one may argue that AVs are dangerous or ‘I like driving’, a simple look at Waymo’s safety impact should change your mind, at least a little. Your mental and physical safety is a bigger priority than driving pleasure.
