Provides that no autonomous vehicle may be used for taxi, livery or transportation network company vehicle services in any city with a population of one million or more without first being licensed by the New York City taxi and limousine commission; requires the New York City taxi and limousine commission to establish a license for use of an autonomous vehicle as a taxicab and to promulgate rules regarding such license and the operation of autonomous taxicabs.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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10413
IN SENATE
May 15, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sen. GONZALEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the opera-
tion of autonomous taxicabs in a city having a population of one
million or more
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new
2 section 397-d to read as follows:
3 § 397-d. Autonomous taxicabs. 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law
4 to the contrary, no autonomous vehicle may be used for taxi, livery or
5 transportation network company vehicle services in any city with a popu-
6 lation of one million or more without first being duly licensed by the
7 New York city taxi and limousine commission as a taxicab as defined in
8 section one hundred forty-eight-a of this chapter and section 19-502 of
9 the administrative code of the city of New York.
10 2. No autonomous vehicle shall be licensed by the New York city taxi
11 and limousine commission to provide transportation for hire or prear-
12 ranged trips, unless and until the New York city taxi and limousine
13 commission establishes a license for the use of an autonomous vehicle
14 pursuant to subdivision three of this section. The New York city taxi
15 and limousine commission shall not license any autonomous vehicle to
16 provide transportation for hire or prearranged trips unless that vehicle
17 is a taxicab as defined in section one hundred forty-eight-a of this
18 chapter and section 19-502 of the administrative code of the city of New
19 York.
20 3. Before licensing an autonomous vehicle as a taxicab, the New York
21 city taxi and limousine commission shall establish a license for use of
22 an autonomous vehicle as a taxicab and shall promulgate rules regarding
23 such license and the operation of autonomous taxicabs. In promulgating
24 such rules, the New York city taxi and limousine commission shall, at a
25 minimum, set requirements for the following:
26 (a) the process for issuing a license to use an autonomous vehicle as
27 a taxicab;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01307-01-5
S. 10413 2
1 (b) the issuance of such licenses only to owners of taxicab medal-
2 lions;
3 (c) the number of such licenses to be issued and any restrictions on
4 the number of licenses that may be issued to any one person or entity;
5 (d) the safety standards for use of an autonomous vehicle as a taxi-
6 cab;
7 (e) the insurance required to use an autonomous vehicle as a taxicab;
8 (f) the reporting to the New York city taxi and limousine commission
9 of trip and revenue data, including the pickup and drop-off location,
10 mileage, and fare for each trip;
11 (g) the vehicle standards for such autonomous vehicles, including
12 whether the vehicle is a wheelchair accessible vehicle or a low- or
13 zero-emissions vehicle; and
14 (h) such other rules as the New York city taxi and limousine commis-
15 sion considers to be necessary for the safe and orderly use of an auton-
16 omous vehicle as a taxicab.
17 4. The New York city taxi and limousine commission shall deny an
18 application for a license for use of an autonomous vehicle as a taxicab
19 if such vehicle or applicant does not comply with the rules of the New
20 York city taxi and limousine commission and, after due notice and an
21 opportunity to be heard, may suspend or revoke a license for failure to
22 comply with such rules.
23 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
