Mayor Adams Releases Requirements, Opens Permit Applications for Responsible Autonomous Vehicle Testing in New York City

📅 Published: August 26, 2025

📰 Source: newsday_com

Curated by AllZimNews.com

That’s why we’re implementing these rigorous permit requirements and requiring close collaboration with DOT and our emergency responders,so we can ensure that autonomous vehicle technology works for New York City.

This technology is coming whether we like it or not, so we’re going to make sure that we get it right.

If we do, our streets can be safer, and our air could be cleaner. ”
“Autonomous vehicles aren’t just coming, they’re here — they’ve been successfully operating across the country for years.

We are doing our due diligence to get ahead of the AV revolution, and ensure that if AVs are coming, they do so within a framework that benefits New Yorkers, and creates training and good, upwardly mobile jobs in the autonomous industry,” saidDeputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “It’s been the story for too long that government can’t keep up with private enterprise.

With careful regulation, we believe that they have the potential to benefit a city as complex as New York. ”
“As autonomous vehicle technology expands across the country, DOT is deploying a robust new permitting process to ensure safe, responsible testing on our city’s streets,” saidDOT Commissioner Rodriguez. “Driver error and distraction plays an all-too-common role in traffic crashes, and autonomous vehicle technology offers potential to improve traffic safety.

We look forward to working closely with AV companies that are serious about safely operating on America’s most challenging street network. ”
The city’s approach prioritizes safety and accountability in AV testing.

As part of the approval process, applicants must submit information on their previous testing experience and technological capabilities, a detailed testing plan for New York City, and a safety plan describing key elements that will contribute to the safe operation of their technology on city streets.

Companies must also follow industry best practices related to the recruitment and training of the safety drivers that must be present in the vehicle during testing.

Additionally, applicants must obtain approval from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles before starting an on-street testing program.

The intent of this program is to create a roadmap for a collaborative future of AV testing and potential deployment in New York City, one in which AV companies work closely with the city to support a vision for a safe, sustainable, equitable, and efficient transportation system for all.

As part of the city’s safety protocols, applicants must provide details on how their test operators are selected and trained, and attest that they will follow recent best practices from the Society of Automotive Engineers.

These practices include background checks for test operators, appropriate training on the vehicle systems they will be testing, and working conditions and frequent breaks that will keep them focused on the job and avoid distraction.