SAN ANTONIO - Waymo said on Wednesday that anyone in San Antonio, San Diego and Tampa can now download its app and hail a fully driverless ride, with no waitlist, including trips to San Antonio International Airport.
"Starting today, anyone in San Antonio, San Diego, and Tampa can download the Waymo app and hail a fully autonomous ride, including the San Antonio International Airport," the company wrote in a post on its Waypoint blog. It said it had already welcomed hundreds of thousands of riders in the three cities since opening service earlier this year.
Jesus Saenz, director of airports for the City of San Antonio Aviation, said in the same post that offering fully autonomous rides at the airport "marks a significant milestone for Waymo, our city and travelers."
In San Antonio, KSAT reported that the open service includes Waymo's newer Ojai vehicle, designed to handle weather, and covers an area from King William to Wurzbach Parkway that includes downtown, the River Walk, Hemisfair Park, North Star Mall and the airport. Waymo paused San Antonio rides earlier this year after flood-related problems and resumed them in September after software and map changes.
In Tampa, WFLA reported that riders previously needed an activation code after Waymo began letting residents schedule trips in September, and that anyone can now book a fully autonomous trip on the app. Waymo's blog quoted Scott Young, board chair of Lighthouse for the Blind and Low Vision, saying transportation is "the number one barrier" for independence for many clients and that Waymo helps them get it back.
In San Diego, the company quoted Bob Kelly, founder and chief executive of the San Diego Seniors Community Foundation, saying self-driving technology like Waymo's is "about inclusion" for older adults who need reliable mobility.
Waymo already listed San Antonio International among the airports it serves when it began limited airport rides at Nashville International Airport this week. Wednesday's announcement pairs that airport access with open booking in San Antonio, San Diego and Tampa. The company did not say how many vehicles are in each city or whether the same open access applies on partner apps such as Uber or Lyft.
