Waymo’s milestone SFO mapping permit comes with strings attached

Waymo has received a temporary permit to map roadways at the San Francisco International Airport (SFO), marking the first step in their plan to introduce robotaxis to the area.

Announced by San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie on Monday evening, the permit went into effect on March 14.

Although Waymo vehicles will not be operating autonomously at the airport, employees will manually drive them to map the area. This permit signifies the initial phase of Waymo’s potential commercial operations at SFO.

Nicole Gavel, head of business development and strategic partnerships at Waymo, stated, “This mapping permit is an important step toward bringing the Waymo service to the millions of people who travel to and from the city each year.”

The permit represents a turnaround for Waymo, who previously failed to secure a permit in 2023. It includes requirements such as data sharing, which will be a part of future agreements as Waymo progresses through mapping, autonomous testing, and eventually commercial operations.

Waymo must provide specific data after each mapping session, including vehicle tracking information and identifiers. The agreement also prohibits the use of autonomous vehicles for commercial goods transportation.

Peter Finn, Teamsters Western Region vice president, expressed gratitude for the responsible implementation of new technology at SFO.

Waymo began efforts more than a year ago to gain access for pickups and drop-offs at SFO.

The approval process for operating at SFO is lengthy and requires separate approval from the San Francisco Airport Commission. Waymo currently has a temporary access agreement for mapping SFO’s roadways.