Waymo Launches Service to San Francisco International Airport
After years of negotiations, Waymo, the Alphabet-owned self-driving car company, has received approval to operate a robotaxi service to and from the San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The service will initially be available to a select group of riders before being expanded to all customers in the coming months. Pickups and drop-offs will take place at the SFO Rental Car Center, accessible via the AirTrain. Waymo plans to serve additional airport locations in the future as part of its expansion.
Access to SFO Critical for Waymo’s Business Model
Access to airports, especially SFO, is vital to Waymo’s business strategy, which relies on geographic scale and high rider volume. Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana highlighted that offering rides to and from SFO fulfills one of the most requested features by riders and strengthens the company’s relationship with the city. Over the past year, Waymo has accelerated its expansion, launching new cities, growing its fleet, and adding new routes, including freeways. Waymo’s robotaxis now service much of the San Francisco Bay Area, Silicon Valley, and parts of Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, and Phoenix.
Safety Concerns and Investigations Surrounding Waymo’s Robotaxis
Despite the new milestone, Waymo faces criticism over safety issues in some of the cities it operates in. The company revealed that one of its robotaxis struck a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica on January 23, resulting in minor injuries. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating the incident. Waymo is also under investigation by both the NHTSA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for alleged illegal behavior by its robotaxis around school buses.
SFO Approval Followed Years of Delayed Negotiations
Waymo’s push to operate at SFO has been a lengthy process. The company’s initial attempt to secure a permit in 2023 to map SFO was unsuccessful. After restarting negotiations, Waymo was granted a permit in March 2025 to map the airport with data-sharing provisions. By September, Waymo and SFO signed a testing and operations pilot permit, bringing the company closer to launching its commercial robotaxi service at the airport.
Featured image credits: Heute.at
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