Waymo Is Picking Up at the Airport. That's a Big Deal

On Tuesday, Alphabet's self-driving vehicle developer Waymo said it would begin operating all-day, curbside pickups and drop-offs at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Arizona. The announcement came with little fanfare--a post on X. But it signals that after years of delay, self-driving vehicles might be (literally) moving in the right direction. The new curbside airport service sends a good signal about Waymo's business, says Mike Ramsey, an automotive analyst with Gartner. "The airport is the primary destination and departure point for any sort of mobility service, whether it's a cab, shuttle bus--or an autonomous robocab," he says.