Waymo officially launches passenger transportation service at San Francisco Airport. The Google-owned company announced in a blog post on Thursday that it has opened its self-driving shuttle service at San Francisco International Airport to select users, and will gradually expand it to all users in the coming months.
The initial pick-up and drop-off point for this service is set up at the airport car rental center, and will be gradually expanded to more areas such as the terminal building. Waymo began operating driverless passenger services on highways at the end of last year, which is also a necessary preparatory step for it to enter the airport pickup field.
Waymo co-CEO Tekedela Mawakana said in a blog: "The launch of a round-trip shuttle service to San Francisco International Airport not only meets one of the most requested needs from users, but also further deepens our partnership with the city of San Francisco. Millions of people will travel to San Francisco to participate in various large-scale events this year, and we look forward to meeting the market's growing travel needs through safe and reliable fully autonomous driving services."
San Francisco International Airport is the third large international airport deployed by Waymo. This move also means that Waymo further enters the airport pickup market dominated by Uber and Lyft in recent years. Waymo currently provides driverless pick-up and drop-off services at San Jose Mineta International Airport and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.