Gov. Cuomo announced Wednesday that the state of New York is now accepting applications for companies that are interested in testing autonomous vehicles on public roads.
A measure to allow the testing and demonstration of self-driving vehicles was included in last month's state budget. Testing must be approved by the state and done under the guidance of state police officials. Companies will also have to have a licensed driver in the vehicle and a $5 million insurance policy.
Advocates for the technology say it will make driving safer in the long run, though unions for truckers and taxi drivers believe it will ultimately result in a loss of jobs for drivers. Ride-sharing companies, like Uber, have been testing the tech in other states, but briefly suspended testing after a crash involving a self-driving vehicle in Arizona earlier this year.
The testing period in New York will last less than a year, concluding next April. Before that date, companies will be asked to submit safety reports to DMV and state police leaders who will in turn submit a report on the safety of the technology.
