Alphabet's autonomous vehicle unit, Waymo, has obtained its first permit to test self-driving cars in New York City, marking the company's entry into the New York market. The pilot program involves eight self-driving Jaguar vehicles operating across two boroughs, with human safety operators present in the cars. This testing phase is scheduled to run until late September, with the possibility of an extension as indicated by the office of Mayor Eric Adams. Waymo currently operates over 800 vehicles commercially in the San Francisco Bay Area, up from 600 in May 2025, and has deployed more than 2,000 vehicles across the United States, including 400 in Phoenix and 500 in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, other cities like Shanghai have begun issuing licenses for driverless commercial robotaxi services, and various companies in Europe are preparing for limited autonomous vehicle trials. Public opinion in the U.S. favors autonomous vehicles equipped with both LiDAR and cameras, a system used by Waymo, over Tesla's cameras-only approach. Approximately 70% of Americans support this dual-sensor setup, with 71% advocating for government mandates on such technology. The contrasting strategies of Tesla and Waymo are seen as influential in shaping the future of the robotaxi industry.