Waymo Secures Permit to Test Autonomous Vehicles at San Francisco International Airport
Key Points
- Waymo receives a Testing and Operations Pilot Permit from San Francisco International Airport.
- The permit enables a three‑phase testing program: specialist‑supervised driverless runs, employee passenger trials, and eventual paid rides.
- Paid rides will operate at the airport’s Kiss & Fly area, requiring an AirTrain transfer to terminals.
- SFO is Waymo’s largest airport target in Silicon Valley, following operations at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor and testing clearance at San Jose Mineta.
- The agreement follows years of negotiations and recent testing approval at nearby San Jose airport.
- Waymo plans to explore additional airport locations and continues its broader expansion with new city launches and partners like Uber.
Waymo has obtained a Testing and Operations Pilot Permit from San Francisco International Airport (SFO), allowing the autonomous‑vehicle company to begin a three‑phase testing program at the airport. The agreement follows years of negotiations and follows recent clearance to test at nearby San Jose Mineta International Airport. The permit will let Waymo initially operate its driver‑less cars with a trained specialist onboard, later expand to employee passenger trials, and eventually offer paid rides in the airport’s Kiss & Fly area. Waymo sees SFO as a key step toward broader commercial service and further expansion in the Silicon Valley region.
Permit Approval and Background
San Francisco’s mayor’s office announced that Waymo and San Francisco International Airport have signed a Testing and Operations Pilot Permit, granting Waymo permission to start testing its autonomous vehicles at SFO. The deal comes after years of back‑and‑forth negotiations between the two parties. It follows a recent clearance that allowed Waymo to begin testing at the nearby San Jose Mineta International Airport, marking a rapid progression in the company’s airport‑testing strategy.
While SFO is not Waymo’s first airport venue—its autonomous service has been operating at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor Airport since 2023—the San Francisco location holds special significance. SFO is the largest airport serving the Silicon Valley region, where Waymo’s headquarters are based, making it a strategic target for the company for an extended period.
Three‑Phase Testing Plan
The newly granted permit outlines a structured, three‑phase approach. In the first phase, Waymo will test its autonomous vehicles in driver‑less mode with a “trained specialist” seated behind the wheel to monitor operations. The second phase expands testing to include passenger service, initially limited to Waymo employees and airport staff. The final phase will permit Waymo to provide paid rides to the public.
When paid rides commence, Waymo plans to operate pickups and drop‑offs at the airport’s Kiss & Fly area, which requires passengers to take an AirTrain to reach the main terminals. The company also indicated an intention to explore additional locations within the airport in the future.
Strategic Implications and Future Outlook
The SFO agreement fits into Waymo’s broader expansion strategy, which has seen the company add new cities and partners, including a collaboration with Uber. Executives have hinted at further growth milestones aimed for 2026, underscoring the company’s ambition to broaden its autonomous‑mobility footprint.
Waymo’s growing service area in the Silicon Valley region, combined with its increasing portfolio of airport testing sites, signals a clear trajectory toward a commercial autonomous‑vehicle service that could reshape airport transportation in the United States.
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