Waymo said Wednesday it has applied for a permit to test its autonomous vehicles in New York City, the Alphabet company’s first step in a sticky regulatory process to bring its robotaxis to U.S.’s largest city.

The company is facing legal hurdles and other obstacles before its cars can cruise the city’s streets without drivers.

Fresh off a tumultuous week that saw burning Waymo vehicles become a viral image of the Los Angeles protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Google-owned autonomous vehicle company is expanding its three service maps in California.