Waymo Cleared for Autonomous Vehicle Testing at SFO
▼ Summary
– Waymo has received a permit to test autonomous vehicles at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) ahead of launching a commercial service.
– This permit follows a similar approval at San Jose Mineta International Airport and builds on Waymo’s existing operations at Phoenix Sky Harbor since 2023.
– The permit involves a three-phase process: testing with a specialist, employee passenger trials, and eventually offering paid rides to the public.
– Initially, paid rides will use the airport’s “Kiss & Fly area,” accessible via AirTrain, with potential expansion to other locations later.
– This development is part of Waymo’s broader 2024 expansion, including new city services and partnerships like Uber, with more growth expected by 2026.
Waymo has secured a crucial permit to begin testing its autonomous vehicles at San Francisco International Airport, marking a significant step toward launching a commercial service at one of the nation’s busiest travel hubs. This development follows years of negotiation and signals a major expansion of the company’s driverless operations in the Bay Area.
The mayor’s office in San Francisco confirmed the agreement, noting that Waymo and SFO have signed a Testing and Operations Pilot Permit. This approval arrives shortly after the company received similar authorization to test at San Jose Mineta International Airport. While Waymo has been active at Phoenix Sky Harbor since 2023, gaining access to SFO has been a long-standing objective due to the airport’s proximity to Silicon Valley, where the company is headquartered.
Initial resistance from airport officials in 2023 gave way to a more cooperative stance this year, when Waymo was permitted to conduct mapping activities, a clear sign of improving relations. The newly approved permit outlines a three-phase approach to testing and eventual commercial deployment.
During the first phase, Waymo will operate its autonomous vehicles with a trained specialist present in the driver’s seat. Phase two will introduce passenger trials involving company employees and airport personnel. The final phase authorizes Waymo to begin offering paid rides to the general public.
Once commercial service begins, pickups and drop-offs will initially take place at the Kiss & Fly area, which requires an AirTrain connection to reach the terminal buildings. Waymo has indicated it will explore additional locations within the airport in the future.
Securing access to SFO represents another milestone in Waymo’s ambitious expansion strategy. The company has recently extended its services to new cities, formed partnerships with companies like Uber, and continues to broaden its coverage throughout Silicon Valley. With these developments, the arrival of autonomous ride-hailing at major airports appears increasingly inevitable.
(Source: TechCrunch)
