Mayor Lurie Gives Waymo Green Light to Map Roadways Around San Francisco International Airport

SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor Daniel Lurie announced today that the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has approved a temporary access agreement for Waymo to conduct mapping of airport roadways. The agreement allows for Waymo to begin controlled mapping throughout the airport.

The announcement comes after San Francisco hosted three national events to start the year. With the success of the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, Lunar New Year Parade, and All-Star Weekend, San Francisco is poised to continue its economic recovery and continue to attract tourists from across the world back to the city. The move will strengthen the economy by expanding passenger transportation accessibility to and from the airport.

The permit is valid for 30 days and requires a human driver to be in control of mapping vehicles at all times. The permit allows for a maximum of two vehicles at a time during mapping with public passengers not permitted to be carried at any time.

The Temporary Access Agreement went into effect on March 14, 2025, and is valid through April 13, 2025, with an option for the Airport to extend the term by an additional 30 days. While no decision has been made on passenger operations, this mapping process will help inform such decisions in the future. As part of the agreement, Waymo will use SFO’s existing geofence to provide vehicle tracking data.

“This agreement is another example of how San Francisco is driving innovation while supporting our economic recovery,” said Mayor Lurie. “My administration is bringing everyone to the table to get things done and deliver real results for San Franciscans. By working to expand transportation options to and from SFO, we're continuing to make it easier for tourists and business travelers to experience our city, strengthen our economy, and welcome the world back to San Francisco.”

“We're proud of the tens of thousands of trips Waymo One provides each week to residents and visitors in San Francisco. 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. “We’re pleased to play a part in showing the world that the future starts here in San Francisco.”

"We would like to thank Mayor Lurie for his leadership in bringing the parties together and SFO Director Mike Nakornkhet for creating a template for the responsible implementation of new technology that takes into account the impact on safety, jobs, and the community,” said Peter Finn, Teamsters Western Region vice president.

“The safety of our customers is our very highest priority, and this temporary mapping permit is an important first step in our comprehensive evaluation of this new transportation mode,” said Airport Director Mike Nakornkhet.