Alphabet, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) robotaxi unit Waymo received a temporary permit to map roadways at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), marking a significant milestone in the expansion of its robotaxi services.

The Details: The temporary permit, which began on March 14, was announced by San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie on Monday evening and represents a turnaround for Waymo, which had previously failed to secure mapping access to SFO in 2023.

"This mapping permit is an important step toward bringing our service to the millions of people who travel to and from the city every year, many of whom have placed San Francisco International Airport at the top of their service expansion wish list," said Nicole Gavel, head of business development and strategic partnerships at Waymo.

During the initial mapping phase, Waymo vehicles will be manually operated, with no autonomous driving allowed at the airport. The permit allows for a maximum of two vehicles at a time on airport premises and is valid for 30 days, with an option for SFO to extend it for an additional 30 days.

The agreement includes specific data sharing and vehicle tracking requirements for Waymo and also prohibits the use of autonomous vehicles for moving commercial goods, a restriction that has gained support from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

Waymo, which Google launched in 2009 as "Project Chauffeur," opened its San Francisco robotaxi service to the general public last June. The company hopes the mapping permit will lead to commercial robotaxi services at the city's airport in the future.

"We're proud of the tens of thousands of trips Waymo One provides each week to residents and visitors in San Francisco," Gavel said.

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