Buckle up!

New York City has given the green light for testing self-driving cars on the busy streets of Manhattan and Brooklyn. However, critics are urging caution over what they see as a risky venture that primarily benefits big tech companies.

On Friday, Mayor Eric Adams, along with transportation officials, unveiled the city’s inaugural pilot program for autonomous vehicles. This program permits eight of Waymo’s self-driving cars to operate with a safety “specialist” present in the driver’s seat. The authorization is effective immediately and runs until late September.

The city will unleash the cars south of 112th Street in Manhattan in a program that a Waymo rep said Friday was already up and running.

In Brooklyn, these autonomous vehicles will be active north of Atlantic Avenue and west of Carlton Street in areas such as Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn, and DUMBO.

“We’re a tech-friendly administration and we’re always looking for innovative ways to safely move our city forward,” Mayor Adams said in a press release.

“We know this testing is only the first step in moving our city further into the 21st century. As we continue to implement responsible innovation, we will always prioritize street safety.” 

The driverless cars will be subjected to “the nation’s strictest AV safety rules,” City Hall said.

“These requirements will help ensure that the development of this technology is focused, first and foremost, on the safety of everyone who shares our busy city streets,” said DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez.

But some transportation workers called the city asleep at the wheel.

Members of the Transport Workers Union said the plan threatens street safety, blocks  emergency access vehicles  and creates future job losses — all to make “big tech bros even richer.”

“New York is America’s most densely populated big city. There’s a dizzying amount of activity from an unmatched number of pedestrians, bicyclists, pedicabs, and motorists,” the group’s Administrative Vice President Curtis Tate said in a statement. 

“Pedestrians cross streets in Manhattan like nowhere else in the country. They do whatever they want, whenever they want. These vehicles are not prepared to deal with that kind of pedestrian interaction.”

Former Mayor Bill De Blasio agreed, slamming the plan on X Friday.

“If there’s one place on Earth that was NOT meant for self-driving cars, it’s NYC. This is a really bad idea,” he tweeted.

Meanwhile, the union’s International President, John Samuelsen, said Waymo’s ultimate goal is to “replace rideshare drivers, taxi drivers, and transit workers with robots.”

The use of autonomous vehicles for for-hire service is currently prohibited by New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission rules, according to City Hall.

On Friday, Waymo touted its “strong safety record” in “five major U.S. cities” and called the self-driving cars “life-saving technology.”  

“We believe it is essential for companies to collaborate directly with cities on the rollout of autonomous technology and are pleased to have reached this next step in New York City,” Annabel Chang, head of U.S. state and local public policy for Waymo.

Waymo is required to coordinate closely with the Department of Transportation through regular meetings and data reporting, under the conditions of the program.

The firm must also certify that  it’s adhering to the industry’s best practices related to cybersecurity.

 After the pilot program testing period, it will have the chance to apply for an extension.