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San Francisco Approves Waymo's Autonomous Vehicles for Market Street

Mayor Daniel Lurie authorizes mapping and summer launch of driverless ride-hailing on the car-free corridor as part of downtown revitalization efforts.

Waymo vehicles will be allowed onto portions of Market Street in San Francisco where most other vehicles are prohibited, Mayor Daniel Lurie said. 
A Waymo driverless car drives through the intersection of Van Ness Avenue and Market streets, in San Francisco on Tuesday, August 8, 2023. The intersection was among those with the highest number of crashes, according to our readers’ list of “most hated” intersections.
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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 11: A Waymo autonomous vehicle is seen reflected in a mirror as it drives along California Street on April 11, 2022 in San Francisco, California. San Francisco is serving as testing grounds for autonomous vehicles with Waymo, a Google subsidiary and Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors, logging millions of test miles throughout San Francisco in 2021. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Overview

  • Waymo will begin mapping Market Street in the coming weeks to prepare for the launch of its autonomous ride-hailing service this summer.
  • The decision aims to support downtown San Francisco's economic recovery by enhancing access to businesses and cultural destinations along Market Street.
  • Private vehicles, Ubers, and Lyfts remain prohibited on the car-free section of Market Street, with Waymo joining buses and taxis as permitted vehicles.
  • Advocacy groups, including Walk San Francisco and Kid Safe SF, have raised concerns about pedestrian safety and the potential erosion of the car-free environment.
  • Mayor Lurie emphasized that the initiative is intended to supplement existing public transit and taxis, not replace them, as part of a broader transportation strategy.