Self-Driving Waymos May Be Headed To The Capital Region

When I was a kid, I was convinced that the future was right around the corner. One of the things I couldn't wait for was self-driving cars. Imagine never having to get behind a wheel again. Sounds like heaven, right?

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Well, we finally have them. They're called "Waymo", and they might be headed to New York's Capital region...

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Allowing Autonomous Vehicles

On May 15th, 2026, New York State Senator Patricia Fahy introduced a bill that would bring self-driving cars to the Capital Region. The bill would add Title 11-A, which authorizes the use of fully autonomous vehicles on public roads.

The goal is to start with Albany and Rensselaer counties as pilot programs before bringing them statewide. The bill requires these vehicles to obey all traffic laws and regulations, as well as requiring a law enforcement action plan before operation. If passed the bill would run through July 1st, 2028.

Should We Want Waymos?

Obviously, self driving cars, especially taxis like Waymo, would be a massive step towards an easier future, but is it worth it?

In cities where Waymos are active, complaints have been showing up left and right. Since these have no driver behind the wheel, they don't really think like a human driver, which has led them to roam free, blocking entrances and exits, causing noise pollution, and aimlessly driving in circles around neighborhoods.

We would, hopefully, fix these problems quickly, but after nearly two years of operation, issues still seem to pop up.

They always say, though, the only people you'll ever hear from are those with an issue, so these could all be blown out of proportion. Regardless, if passed, Fahy's bill will bring Albany into the future, whether that's a positive or not...