According to engadget, Alphabet’s Waymo began offering fully autonomous rides at San Francisco International Airport on Thursday, January 29, 2026. The service is launching just as fans and media arrive for Super Bowl LX, but it’s starting with significant limits. For now, access is restricted to a select number of riders, with pickups and drop-offs only at the SFO Rental Car Center. The company says it will gradually expand access over the coming months and eventually reach airport terminals. This makes SFO the third airport in Waymo’s network, joining Phoenix Sky Harbor and San Jose Mineta, as the company now serves over 260 square miles in the Bay Area. However, the news is tempered by a Wednesday announcement that a Waymo vehicle struck a child in Santa Monica on January 23, an incident now under investigation by the NHTSA.
The airport access game
Getting robotaxis into airports is a huge milestone, and not just for the cool factor. Airports are complex, high-stakes logistical hubs. Think about it: chaotic traffic patterns, confused travelers, constant construction, and the absolute need for reliability. If an autonomous vehicle can handle SFO’s Rental Car Center loop, it’s a strong signal the tech is maturing beyond curated neighborhoods. The phased rollout is smart—it lets Waymo gather data and tune its systems without throwing its entire fleet into the deep end during one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. And linking airports is key for building a truly useful urban network. It turns a novelty service into a legitimate alternative for business travelers and residents alike.
The other headline
But here’s the thing: you can’t talk about this week without addressing the incident in Santa Monica. A robotaxi hitting a child, even with minor injuries, is the kind of story that dominates the narrative. It immediately shifts the conversation from “Look at this amazing progress” to “Are these things safe?” The NHTSA investigation will be crucial. Every company in this space knows that public trust is fragile. One high-profile incident can undo years of careful PR. Waymo’s challenge now is to demonstrate that its airport expansion represents its rigorous safety standards in action, not a distraction from a separate problem. They have to manage both stories simultaneously, which is a communications tightrope walk.
What it means for riders (and cities)
For users in the Bay Area, this is a concrete step toward a more integrated service. Need a ride to a flight? Theoretically, you could soon take a Waymo from your home in San Francisco directly to SFO. That’s a compelling use case. But the “select riders” phase is a reminder that this is still a privileged tech experience for many. The real test will be when it opens to everyone. Will the pricing be competitive with Uber/Lyft? How will wait times compare during peak airport rush? Cities, for their part, are getting a front-row seat to the future of urban mobility. Success at SFO could pave the way for more municipal partnerships, while any stumbles will give critics ammunition. It’s a high-profile beta test, with the whole world watching—literally, with the Super Bowl in town.
