Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street

Waymo, the autonomous taxi operator, could soon have access to San Francisco’s Market Street, a major thoroughfare closed to most private vehicles.

As Greg Wong explains in the San Francisco Examiner, the city allowed the company to survey and map the street, paving the way for autonomous taxi service. Currently, Waymo is allowed to operate on most of the city’s streets.

“When asked by The Examiner if there was any other San Francisco street the company does not operate on, Waymo spokesperson Katherine Barna responded that The City ‘has some unique lanes of traffic that are restricted to certain types of vehicles, though none as large or notable as Market Street.’” The company would not elaborate on the exact locations of these streets.

The Better Market Street program only allowed buses, taxis, and commercial vehicles (including Waymo) to operate on the street in an effort to encourage more foot and bike traffic. Now, Mayor Lurie says Waymo will be “another safe and sustainable way” to access businesses along the corridor. “If Waymo ultimately gets city approval to offer ride-hailing services on Market Street, it would give the company an edge over competitors — namely Uber and Lyft — that can’t do the same.”