Waymo Applies for NYC Testing Permit, Sending Uber and Lyft Shares Lower

Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo has applied for a permit to test its robotaxis in New York City, underscoring its intent to operate in one of the largest ride-hailing markets in the US despite an absence of local regulations supporting commercially operated autonomous vehicles.

The company has applied for a permit with the city’s Department of Transportation to operate its vehicles autonomously in Manhattan with a trained human specialist supervising behind the wheel, spokesperson Ethan Teicher said in a statement Wednesday. Shares in rival ride-hailing providers Uber Technologies Inc and Lyft Inc. slid on the news.