Alphabet’s self-driving arm Waymo has secured the first permit to test autonomous passenger vehicles on New York City streets, city officials said Friday. The authorization from the Department of Transportation allows the company to operate up to eight robotaxis in Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn through September 2025, with a possibility to extend. Under state law and city safety rules—considered the strictest in the United States—each vehicle must retain a trained human driver who can take control at any time. Waymo is required to share detailed operational data with regulators and coordinate with police and emergency services throughout the pilot. The move marks New York’s inaugural autonomous-vehicle testing program and extends Waymo’s recent expansion beyond existing services in San Francisco, Phoenix and Austin. Rival Tesla has begun hiring ‘Autopilot operators’ in the region but has not yet applied for a local testing permit.