Waymo obtains permit to test robotaxis at San Francisco International Airport

Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, has secured a permit to commence testing its robotaxi services at San Francisco International Airport, as announced by Mayor Daniel Lurie and company representatives on Tuesday. This initiative will unfold in phases, starting with trials involving airport employees before extending to the general public in the Bay Area. Initially, the robotaxis will have human drivers present to take control if necessary, paving the way for an eventual transition to fully autonomous operations. Currently, Waymo is already providing services in San Mateo County and parts of San Francisco, but it has yet to receive authorization to transport passengers to and from the airport. In 2022, Waymo was granted permission to test its services at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, and it recently acquired a permit for trials at San Jose Mineta International Airport. Last month, Mayor Lurie indicated that Waymo could begin limited passenger services along Market Street, a major thoroughfare in San Francisco where such operations were previously restricted. Waymo's robotaxi services are active in several regions, including Phoenix, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Austin, and Atlanta. Meanwhile, Tesla has initiated its own robotaxi testing in Austin, complete with human safety operators on board. The electric vehicle manufacturer is also negotiating with airports in the San Francisco Bay Area, though it does not yet have permission for a fully driverless ride-hailing service in the region. Currently, Tesla's vehicles are not equipped to operate without a human driver ready to intervene at any moment.