Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey encouraged Uber to conduct a secret testing program for its self-driving cars, and enabled it to be conducted with limited expert oversight in his state, according to a report.

The Guardian said it obtained hundreds of emails between Uber and the office of the Republican governor– who this week suspended self-driving vehicle tests after a pedestrian fatality — that revealed how the company began to quietly test autonomous vehicles in Phoenix in August 2016.

Through public-records requests, the outlet obtained the trove of emails – sent between 2007 and 2015 – that shed light on Uber’s behind-the-scenes efforts to court the governor.

They revealed how Uber offered workspace for Ducey’s staff in San Francisco, heaped praise on him and vowed to bring money and jobs to Ariziona.

Meanwwhile, Ducey helped the company deal with other officials in his state, issued Uber-friendly decrees, tweeted out an ad at the company’s request — and even was apparently open to wearing an Uber T-shirt at an official event.

Shortly after assuming office in January 2015, Ducey met with David Plouffe, Barack Obama’s former campaign manager, whom Uber had hired as a senior VP, and another Uber honcho named Justin Kintz.

According to The Guardian, Kintz later wrote to Ducey: “I know [Plouffe] and [Uber founder] Travis [Kalanick] are as excited as I am to expand our footprint in Arizona, and we are encouraged that the state legislature is interested in codifying a permanent regulatory structure for ridesharing.”

In April 2015, Ducey signed a bill legalizing ride-sharing during a ceremony attended by Uber and Lyft drivers and executives.

Before the ceremony, Uber wrote to Ducey’s office with a few telling questions.

“Is the governor still interested in wearing an Uber shirt at the event? We’re looking into polo shirts, and it would be great to get his size,” wrote one.

“Can we swap out the order and have the Uber driver [introduce the governor]?” another wrote. “I think this makes more sense since this is ultimately about them.”

Although Ducey opted to wear a plain blue shirt, Uber was happy with his performance.

Kintz sent Ducey’s chief of staff an effusive email calling the governor “a real thought leader on these innovation issues,” according to the report.

In June that year, Uber opened a customer support center in Phoenix that would bring 300 jobs to the capital.

And two months later, Ducey held a news conference with Uber to announce the company’s $25,000 gift to the University of Arizona’s College of Optical Sciences. The company said it would base a fleet of mapping cars at the school.

On the same day, Ducey issued an executive order clearing the way for the public testing and operation of self-driving vehicles – as long as they had human operators inside the vehicles to take over controls.

The order also established an oversight committee of experts to advise state agencies and propose new rules for autonomous vehicles.

In February 2016, Uber policy development head Ashwini Chhabra wrote to a transportation policy adviser in Ducey’s office.

“Wanted to follow up from our meeting earlier in the month, to discuss the AV Oversight Committee you are convening. Uber would be happy to participate in that, and I will be our representative to that effort,” Chhabra wrote.

Eventually, Uber did not get a spot on the oversight board mandated to police self-driving programs.

But the company was likely satisfied by the composition of those who got seats on the board — all eight of the members are employed by the state and serve at the pleasure of the governor, The Guardian reported.

Uber’s next item on the agenda was making sure its drivers could pick up passengers from the state’s main airport, Sky Harbor, which is controlled by the Phoenix City Council.

In May 2016, Uber policy manager Craig Hulse asked Ducey’s Deputy Chief of Staff Danny Seiden: “Who do you deal with in mayor’s office on airport issues?”

After Seiden provided some names, the council passed a plan that was favorable to Uber.

One council member later complained that the governor had threatened to retaliate if the plan did not go through.

“There’s been pressure placed on us by the governor,” Laura Pastor, now vice mayor of Phoenix, told AZ Central, according to the report.

In August 2016, Chhabra wrote Seiden that “starting this weekend” Uber would “start testing some self-driving functionality.”

“There will be safety drivers at the wheel, so won’t look much different from what’s already been on the road but wanted to flag it for you nonetheless,” Chhabra wrote.

The public was apparently left in the dark, though, because neither Uber nor Ducey were obligated to inform it that Uber’s vehicles would now be driving themselves on public roads.

Uber said it did not make a public announcement because its efforts were focused on launching the pilot program in Pittsburgh – though

Chhabra told Seiden that the company wanted to give Phoenix police “a heads up” about the hush-hush venture.

Contacted by the Guardian, Ducey declined to explain why his office chose to keep the program a secret.

Two weeks before one of Uber’s self-driving vehicles fatally struck a pedestrian, Elaine Herzberg, 49, in Tempe, the governor issued an executive order allowing fully driverless vehicles on state roads — as long as companies claim their vehicles comply with federal safety standards.

A spokesman for Ducey told The Post in a statement that “allegations that any company has ‘secretly’ tested self-driving cars in Arizona is 100% false.”

“From the beginning, Arizona has been very public about the testing and operation of self-driving cars — it has been anything but a secret,” Patrick Ptak said. “The Governor’s Executive Order allowing for the operation and testing of driverless calls was signed a year prior to this email being sent. Additionally, it was well known that companies were operating self-driving cars”

On Monday, Ducey suspended the ride-sharing company’s self-driving privileges. He said in a letter to CEO Dara Khosrowshahi that video footage of the crash raised concerns about the San Francisco-based company’s ability to safely test its technology in Arizona.

Uber also suspended its self-driving vehicle tests in Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Toronto.