Waymo driverless cars are coming to Chicago as company starts "laying early groundwork"

Waymo is coming to Chicago. 

The driverless car company based in Silicon Valley said it will start "laying the early groundwork" for operations in Chicago. 

"We are coordinating closely with community leaders and policymakers and believe autonomous technology can strongly support Chicago's goals for road safety and enhanced accessibility for all communities," Waymo officials said in a written release.  

It is not clear when Waymo service will be available in the city. 

Mayor Brandon Johnson confirmed the city was notified about operations and said, " It was stated to the City that the company would not be presently deploying any autonomous vehicles within Chicago." The mayor's office released the following statement in part: 

"There is no law or regulatory framework which prohibits any licensed individual from driving in Chicago. As of now, autonomous vehicles have not been authorized within the City of Chicago or the State of Illinois. 

The City looks forward to engaging with commuters, workers, transit advocates and industry leaders as we pursue constructive dialogue with our partners in Springfield and pursue an equitable path forward."

The mayor's office said Waymo will be operating in Chicago to map streets and record data on driving conditons. 

Self-driving car advocates have touted safety as a primary reason to have autonomous vehicles on the road. Some researchers at Johns Hopkins University have even argued that at some point, self-driving cars will "become the norm rather than the exception." Among the most popular safety arguments is that autonomous vehicles cannot drive drunk. 

Mothers Against Drunk Driving Illinois put forth this exact argument in the Waymo announcement, saying in a statement quoted by the company: "Roadway safety across all of Illinois is quite simply one of the most important issues today. Autonomous vehicles hold the exciting promise of preventing deaths and injuries caused by behavioral factors, including impaired driving, if deployed responsibly and safely and in collaboration with the right community and city stakeholders. We welcome Waymo into these new communities as another tool in the toolbox to end impaired driving."  

CBS News Chicago has reached out to Chicago officials for more information.