NYC has granted Waymo permission to test a limited number of autonomous vehicles, as long as there's a driver behind the wheel.

Waymo secured a permit from New York City on Friday to test its autonomous vehicles on the city’s streets, days after New Yorkers reported spotting some of Waymo’s distinctive cars driving around Manhattan, though the vehicles had human drivers.

It's the first permit of its kind, and a crucial step along the path toward launching a true robotaxi service in the Big Apple.