Alphabet-backed (GOOGL) Waymo just got the green light to test its self-driving cars at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), which moves it one step closer to offering paid rides there. After years of discussions, the San Francisco mayor’s office announced that Waymo and SFO signed a “Testing and Operations Pilot Permit.” This deal comes shortly after Waymo was also approved to test at San Jose Mineta International Airport.
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While Waymo has been running airport service at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor since 2023, getting into SFO has always been a big goal, especially since it’s the closest major airport to Silicon Valley, where the company is based. In 2023, airport officials at SFO had turned Waymo away, but that changed earlier this year when the company was allowed to begin mapping the airport. The new permit lets Waymo move ahead in three stages.
First, it will test cars in self-driving mode but with a trained driver behind the wheel. Then, it will offer test rides to airport staff and company employees. Finally, Waymo will begin offering paid rides to passengers. Those rides will pick up and drop off at SFO’s “Kiss & Fly” area, which connects to the terminals by AirTrain. Waymo also says it hopes to expand to other airport locations in the future as it continues to grow in Silicon Valley and other U.S. cities.
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