New York’s first-ever commercial driverless cars got off to a slow start in the Big Apple.

Boston-based tech company Optimus Ride’s fleet of six autonomous vehicles officially opened to the public Wednesday, transporting passengers along a one-mile loop around the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

But the demand for the free robo-shuttle service between the NYC Ferry stop at Dock 72 and Cumberland Gate at Flushing Avenue proved sparse during Wednesday’s morning rush.

During an hour-long period from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, The Post observed roughly 15 people hitch a ride in the driverless vehicles, which can hold six passengers, over the hour.

One user, 46-year-old Carey Booth who commutes by ferry from her home in Astoria to her job at the Brooklyn Navy Yard every day, took a ride in the shuttle while on her way to work.

“The ride was extremely smooth, smoother than the Navy Yard buses,” Booth said. “The car adjusted really well on turns and when other cars were driving nearby. It seems like they’ve tested it really extensively.”

Booth said that she’d “love” to see the fleet expand its coverage.

“I’d be cool with these cars being outside the yard at some point. I’d definitely love to see them all over the yard first though, because right now it’s just from point A to point B,” Booth said, adding that “I trust these cars more than I trust the drivers out on the streets.”

The vehicles, which are manned in the front seat by a safety driver and software operator with Optimus, carry four passengers and go up to 25 mph — but have to follow the yard’s 15-mph speed limit.

“Worst case scenario if anything goes wrong is that you crash and get bruised,” Booth said, noting the slow speed limit. “Nothing crazy can happen, so I’m not too concerned about getting injured or anything.”

Carlos de Jesus, 38, gave the shuttle a spin before he headed to his volunteer job in Greenpoint.

“This was my first time ever in a self-driven vehicle. If no one had told me, I wouldn’t have known it was self-driven,” said de Jesus, who lives nearby. “Breaking and turning might be a little quicker than you’re used to, but everything was fine.”

De Jesus called it a “smooth ride.”

Optimus expects to transport 500 passengers per day and more than 16,000 passengers per month on its driverless fleet.

The fleet will run on a continuous loop between 7:00 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. on weekdays.