Waymo's Driverless Taxis Are Coming To SFO – If They Can Pass One Last Test
For many of us, especially those who can remember life before the digital age, it often feels like we're living in the future. Concepts from science fiction like AI, video calls, and even driverless taxis now constitute our reality — whether we like it or not, and it's happening fast. The Google Self-Driving Car Project launched in 2009. It's now called Waymo and it is a fully autonomous ride-hailing service that currently operates in only three regions: Los Angeles, Metro Phoenix, and the San Francisco Bay Area. But it's finally landed a long-awaited permit to (hopefully) begin operations at San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
About six months ago, Waymo won a permit to map the airport's roads so that its driverless cars will know their way around, but it isn't quite ready to pick up riders just yet. The company will move forward in three phases. It will start by testing vehicles around SFO in autonomous mode but with humans behind the wheel. Then, Waymo can proceed with driverless tests but with Waymo or SFO employees as passengers. The company will then be able to pick up and drop off passengers in its driverless vehicles. Waymo received permission to expand to SFO after a review process and it must follow safety protocols and data reporting requirements.
How does Waymo work?
If you're in one of Waymo's operating areas and need a ride, you first download the Waymo app and create an account. Once you set your destination, Waymo selects the safest spot to pick you up and drop you off. Waymo uses all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles, which fit up to four passengers. Children under the age of eight require a car seat or booster seat. Inside the vehicle, there's a screen where you start your ride and follow along on your route.
Waymo provided more than four million autonomous rides in 2024, and serving passengers at SFO could be a boon for the company. In 2023, Uber and Lyft provided a combined 750,000 rides to and from the airport. Once it's through the testing period, riders should be able to ride a Waymo from SFO anywhere into San Francisco — the company advertises availability in what locals call the full 7x7, or the city's 49 square miles. Its services currently extend into Daly City and south to Burlingame. Waymo, which also plans to expand to Las Vegas, did not announce a planned start date for its SFO services.