Waymo has been granted approval to test its autonomous vehicles at San Francisco's international airport ahead of a planned commercial launch, the city mayor's office announced on Tuesday, News.az reports citing CNN.
The two sides signed a "Testing and Operations Pilot Permit" after years of negotiations, said the office.
According to the permit, operations will proceed in three phases. In the first phase, Waymo will test its vehicles in autonomous mode with a trained safety specialist behind the wheel. The second phase will expand to testing passenger service with company employees and airport staff. The third phase will allow the company to offer paid rides.
The approval of this permit with Waymo provides passengers with "a new and innovative option that delivers the dependability and ease travelers expect when coming through SFO, the gateway to San Francisco," said San Francisco International Airport Director Mike Nakornkhet.
Waymo has operated at Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport since 2023. The San Francisco airport has long been a target for the company, as it is the largest airport serving Waymo's home base of Silicon Valley.
