Silicon Valley, the birthplace of autonomous vehicle technology, will soon have a robotaxi option at its home airport.
Waymo and San José Mineta International Airport (SJC) announced Thursday that Waymo has received a permit to operate at the airport. The Alphabet-owned company is expected to launch public service across San José this year.
“It’s the perfect time for Waymo’s autonomous vehicles to begin to roll into San José, the capital of Silicon Valley,” said San José Mayor Matt Mahan. “With San José at the epicenter of the biggest sporting events of 2026, Waymo is an ideal mode of transportation that will help visitors move around the area smoothly and safely.”
Santa Clara County will host several major sporting events next year, including Super Bowl LX and the FIFA World Cup, both at Levi’s Stadium.
SJC will be the second international airport in the U.S. — and the first in California — to offer a commercial robotaxi service. In 2022, Waymo began providing service to Phoenix Sky Harbor’s Sky Train stations; that was expanded to 24/7 curbside service last August.
Waymo conducted mapping and testing at SJC in August and September 2024, with safety drivers present in the vehicles.
Waymo is not yet available to the public in San José. The company has gradually expanded its zone of operation this year from San Francisco to the Peninsula and South Bay.
In March, Waymo expanded to Mountain View, Los Altos, Palo Alto, and parts of Sunnyvale. In June, the company added Brisbane, Burlingame, Milbrae, San Bruno, South San Francisco, Palo Alto, and Menlo Park. That expansion included Palo Alto Airport, which does not serve commercial airlines.
SFO, the Bay Area’s busiest and largest airport, is in discussions with Waymo to operate at the facility. Waymo completed mapping the airport earlier this year, but the two parties have yet to reach an agreement on permitting.