New Rules for Self-Driving Cars in NYC

NYC announces a permit system for autonomous vehicle tests, mandating a safety driver and detailed reporting, aiming for safer urban streets.

New York City is gearing up for the arrival of autonomous vehicles on its streets, following an announcement by Mayor Eric Adams regarding a new permitting process for interested companies. However, unlike some states such as California, New York mandates the presence of a safety driver in all test vehicles at all times.

To qualify for testing in the bustling urban environment of NYC, companies must demonstrate prior testing experience in other cities and provide detailed records of past tests, including any incidents and the frequency of safety driver interventions. In addition to city permits, these companies are required to secure approval from the state Department of Motor Vehicles and disclose comprehensive information about the hiring and training of their safety drivers. Notably, safety drivers are restricted to two-hour driving stints before mandatory breaks.

The city plans to make key data from these autonomous vehicle tests accessible to the public via the NYC Open Data portal, emphasizing transparency and public safety. Mayor Adams emphasized the inevitability of autonomous vehicle technology and the city’s commitment to ensuring it integrates safely into the urban landscape.

However, some officials express reservations about the feasibility of testing self-driving vehicles in New York City’s unique and complex environment. Senator John Liu, a member of the Transportation Committee, suggested that the city might benefit from waiting and observing the outcomes of autonomous vehicle tests in less congested areas before proceeding with its own initiatives, highlighting the unparalleled challenges posed by NYC’s dense urban setting.