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2w ago

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San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie announces the integration of Waymo's self-driving cars on the car-free corridor to enhance mobility and support downtown revitalization.

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 San Francisco's Market Street in the coming days, with plans to launch its autonomous ride-hailing service by summer 2025.
  • Market Street, closed to private cars since 2020, will now allow Waymo vehicles alongside buses, bikes, and taxis, while Ubers, Lyfts, and private cars remain prohibited.
  • Mayor Lurie frames the initiative as a strategy to revitalize Market Street by improving access to shops, theaters, and restaurants in the downtown area.
  • Local business leaders are divided, with some advocating for reopening Market Street to all private vehicles to boost economic recovery, while others support maintaining restrictions.
  • This move builds on Waymo's recent expansion, including mapping roads to San Francisco International Airport, as part of its broader urban mobility strategy.