New York City regulators have extended Waymo’s autonomous vehicle testing permit through the end of the year, the company said Wednesday. The permit was initially granted in August to allow Waymo to test its robotaxis in the city until the end of September. Waymo’s permit extension signals that it is inching towards being the first AV company to launch a robotaxi service on the chaotic and dense streets of NYC. Even with this permit, Waymo cannot carry passengers or operate a commercial robotaxi service without getting separate licenses from the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission. Another hurdle is that there is no permitting structure in New York that allows Waymo or any other AV company to test or deploy robotaxis without a human safety driver.