Waymo Grand Hyatt at SFO Pickup Field Report

Grayson Brulte documents a real-world Waymo pickup experience at San Francisco International Airport, navigating a 24-minute walk from the United terminal to the Grand Hyatt, strict airport rules, and a $5 cancellation fee after the Waymo timed out.

Despite the operational hurdles, including a 46-page SFO Autonomous Vehicle Permit governing Waymo’s airport operations. Brulte calls the driverless freeway ride a remarkable and special experience, concluding that Waymo has figured out highways.

Key Field Report Questions Answered

Field Report Topics & Timestamps

[0:00] Waymo Arrives at the Grand Hyatt at SFO

Grayson Brulte details taking a 24-minute walk from the United terminal to the pickup zone at the Grand Hyatt at SFO, noting that while the pickup location was more convenient than the rental car center, strict airport rules apply. Due to SFO regulations prohibiting unauthorized curbside presence and imposing an 8-minute staging limit, the speaker missed their initial vehicle, which resulted in a cancellation and a $5 fee before successfully boarding.

[1:40] Waymo on the Freeway

As the Waymo leaves the airport and gets onto the freeway, the speaker emphasizes how relaxing and special the experience is after a cross-country flight, especially listening to music without needing to converse with a driver. The speaker also references the 46-page SFO Autonomous Vehicle Permit document that governs Waymo’s airport operations, comparing the regulatory length to the Phish song “46 Days”.

[3:24] AUTNMY AI

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Full Field Report Transcript

Grayson Brulte: Here comes Waymo approaching the drop-off and pickup zone at the Hyatt at SFO. 24 minutes later, going from the United terminal to the Grand Hyatt at SFO, we got a Waymo. Not a 24-minute wait, a 24-minute walk. Curbside at SFO cannot come soon enough. While the walk was long, and you heard 24 minutes, the pickup at the Hyatt SFO was much more convenient than it was at the rental car center. But this being San Francisco International Airport, there is sure a lot of rules. No curbside pickup operations. Presence on any airport curb is strictly prohibited unless specifically authorized in writing by the airport director. Yep, I didn’t get picked up curbside. And then there’s staging limits. Vehicles are not permitted to remain in a designated area for more than eight minutes without loading or unloading passengers. Exceeding this is considered an unauthorized staging. And guess what happened? We didn’t make it in time the first time after our 24-minute walk, and the Waymo had to cancel on us, so we got charged a $5 fee. That’s okay, ’cause the experience was worth it. And then there’s the other issue. The traffic and safety. Vehicles must continuously move and abide by posted speed limits and avoid blocking traffic lanes or trapping other paused parked vehicles. That’s no problem. That’s easy for the Waymo. When we exit the airport, we get on the freeway. It’s rather simple as you can see here. Simple from my perspective, complex from the Waymo perspective for driving. But there is something magically special after a long cross-country flight, getting into a Waymo, turning on really great music, and not having to talk to anyone as you cruise down the freeway. It is a remarkable experience. And what better to listen to than when in the San Francisco Bay Area than the Grateful Dead. While you listen to the Grateful Dead as you cruise around the San Francisco Bay Area, I could challenge you. There is a 46-page document titled SFO ABC Permit on how Waymo has to operate at the San Francisco International Airport. 46 pages of regulation. That reminds me of the Phish song, “46 days and the gold’s gonna run out.” Well, 46 pages and the regulations are gonna run out. That’s what happened here. I know I’ve said this several times here, but I’m gonna say this again for the record. There is something absolutely something special about taking a Waymo with no driver on a freeway The car feels heavy, the car feels in control, and it, frankly, is just an awesome, awesome experience that Waymo truly has figured out highways. Despite the earlier hiccups, highways are functioning. We’re currently in the San Francisco Bay Area, riding on the highway. I think it’s my sixth time riding on a highway, and I gotta say, it is good. Job well done, Waymo. This is the Waymo at SFO Hyatt pickup field report. The future is bright. The future is autonomous. The future is Waymo at airports

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