"As Gov. Kathy Hochul prepares to unveil her state budget, Silicon Valley is quietly lobbying to turn New York City's streets into a live experiment for unproven, unaccountable driverless cars. Beneath the language of innovation and the future, companies like Waymo are pressing lawmakers to change New York law to allow fully autonomous vehicles to operate as for-hire cars. If that happens, it will not be because New Yorkers demanded it."
"For decades, New York has built a for-hire vehicle system grounded in safety and accountability. Licensed drivers. Regulated vehicles. Clear rules. Clear responsibility when something goes wrong. That framework reflects a basic belief that transportation is a public trust, not a tech experiment. It also reflects another reality. Behind every ride is a worker. More than 140,000 New Yorkers make their living as Uber or Lyft drivers, including more than 80,000 in New York City alone."
Governor Kathy Hochul prepares a state budget as Silicon Valley companies lobby to allow fully autonomous, for-hire vehicles on New York City streets. Companies like Waymo seek legal changes to permit driverless cars to operate as for-hire services. Current New York for-hire system relies on licensed drivers, regulated vehicles, and clear accountability. More than 140,000 New Yorkers work as Uber or Lyft drivers, including over 80,000 in the city, with most workers being immigrants. For-hire drivers support local businesses across boroughs. The proposed change could occur without public debate and would risk worker livelihoods and public accountability.
Read at www.amny.com
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