Opinion: Get Waymos off our streets
After a successful 5 years of operation in Arizona, self-driving Waymos have returned to New York, where they collected weather data in 2021.
However, despite the novelty of self-driving cars, New York State and Governor Kathy Hochul must resist the deployment of Waymo's autonomous cars, as they threaten jobs, degrade the unique culture of the city's cab system, and are ill-suited to handle the unpredictable pedestrian and street life ecosystem.
New York City's approximately 130,000 taxi and for-hire drivers face significant job loss if these robotaxis are introduced.
As seen in 2015, when Uber and Lyft expanded to New York, the rideshare apps outnumbered cabs 5.2 to 1, causing concern for the traditional taxi industry.
New York City’s roughly 130,000 taxi and for-hire drivers face almost certain career death if these robotaxis progress into the city.
Author's summary: Waymos pose a threat to NYC taxi drivers.