Waymo is now permitted to test its robotaxi service at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), a big win for the company as it seeks to expand its service area and tackle more popular, revenue-generating destinations.
After years of back-and-forth negotiations, Waymo signed âTesting and Operations Pilot Permitâ with SFO, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie said in a release. Under the agreement, Waymo will roll out its service to SFO in three phases, including testing vehicles with a human driver, testing without a driver, and eventually beginning commercial service.
Waymo will start its tests with employees before eventually inviting members of the public to take trips to and from the airport. Pickups and dropoffs will initially take place at SFOâs Kiss & Fly lot, which is accessible to the terminals via the AirTrain.
Waymo operates in five cities, but currently only serves one airport: Phoenixâs Sky Harbor. The company has been locked in negotiations with SFO for several years as it seeks to assure regulators that its vehicles can handle their chaotic environments, with thousands of cars, taxis, shuttles, and passengers constantly intermixing everyday.
But airports represent a huge money-making opportunity for robotaxis, with airport trips accounting for an estimated 20 percent of human-driven ridehail car trips. Waymo will need airport access if it hopes to eventually compete with Uber and Lyft â to say nothing of earning enough money to make a profit.
This is exciting news for Waymo and the future of transportation! Testing robotaxis at SFO could really enhance travel convenience. Looking forward to seeing how this develops!
It’s definitely a significant step for Waymo! Testing at such a busy location like SFO could provide valuable data on how their system handles real-world challenges, especially in high-traffic scenarios. It will be interesting to see how passengers respond to this service as well!
great insights into how their service handles high passenger volumes. It will be interesting to see how they manage logistics and safety in such a bustling environment. This could set the stage for similar services at other major airports in the future!
how they manage the logistics during peak travel times. Additionally, it could provide valuable data on how autonomous vehicles adapt to busy environments, which might influence future urban transport solutions.
That’s a great point about logistics during peak times! It will be interesting to see how Waymo balances demand and ensures a smooth experience for travelers. The data collected during these busy periods could also help refine their service for future expansions.
Absolutely, the logistics will be crucial for smooth operations. Itâll be fascinating to see how Waymo integrates their service with existing transportation options at the airport, especially during busy travel seasons.
You’re right about the logistics! It will also be interesting to see how Waymo integrates with existing transportation options at the airport, like shuttles and public transit. That could really enhance the overall travel experience for passengers.