DEPLOY
Ground/Corridors/SF Core

Can robots operate here?

SF Core

San Francisco, CA

SF Core runs under a hard cap of 9 delivery robots citywide (3 per operator) -- among the most restrictive robot-delivery regimes in the US. Coco, Waymo are the fleets operating here.

Verified on DEPLOY Ground as of Aug 2026.

68/100operability#2build priority4neighborhoods

2

Active fleets

2684

Data points

2502

Currently in effect

Where robots can operate

GeoJSON →

Corridor boundary and currently-active street disruptions. Exclusion-zone polygons and the approved-street overlay render here as their geometry is added.

Free to use on your site, with a link back to DEPLOY.

Robot Operability Index

Atlas · measured and sourced

0 of 10 components measured

A composite operability score renders only once all 10 components are measured. SF Core has 0 measured from primary sources, so no headline score is shown. The components still missing are the friction-shaped ones, where a number would flatter the corridor by omission.

Not yet measured: Connectivity, Sidewalk width, Grade and slope, Construction load, 311 friction, Signalized crossings, Street lighting, Curb and loading access, Weather operating days, Transit and EV charging.

Active construction permits

3,861

3,861 temporary street closures from SF DataSF (98cv-qtqk). Includes construction, events, street-space permits. Total recorded closures, not only active-on-date.

Charging accessibility score

80 score_0_100

~1,200 stations in SF metro (PlugShare). SF area ~47 sq mi = ~25 stations per sq mi. Score estimated from metro density, not per-station proximity.

Friction index

78 score_0_100

Friction index: 12,691 pedestrian crashes (Vision Zero), 3,861 street closures (active), 42 school exclusion zones, 18 parklets (outdoor dining). Score 78/100 = high friction. SF's hills (41% max grade) add navigational friction beyond this count-based score.

Summer precip days

2 days

SF has only 2 precip days in summer but 27 in winter. SF's wet season is concentrated Nov-Mar. From NOAA 1991-2020 monthly normals.

atlas-operability-v1 · as of 2026-07-25 · values render only from reviewed, sourced rows

The rules here

San Francisco requires a permit from Public Works for autonomous delivery devices on sidewalks. Hard cap of 9 devices citywide, 3 per operator. Speed limit 3 mph on sidewalks.

Permit requires insurance documentation and a site plan. Operators must share operational data and report incidents. Permit fee: $66 application + $129 annual per device.

Enacted Dec 2017 (Ord. 190-17), effective 2018. ROBOTAXI LAYER: Waymo operates under CPUC Driverless Deployment Permit (approved Aug 2023) + CA DMV Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Permit.

Cruise permit suspended Oct 2023. CPUC regulates fare-charging passenger service; DMV regulates vehicle deployment.

9

Max robots citywide

3

Max per operator

3 mph

Speed limit

San Francisco Public Works

Permit authority

Compare robot speed limits by city →

Pending changes

  • Serve Robotics: Seeking a commercial launch permit in San Francisco (SF ops hiring signals, 2025-2026) (Serve Robotics hiring / filings)

SF Public Works Code Sec. 794 (Ord. 190-17); CPUC Decision 23-08-006 (robotaxi) · Source: SF PWC Sec. 794 + CPUC AV Program + CA DMV AV Program

Who operates here

Who operates here
Cocopermittedsource3 / 32021-03-15
Waymopermittedsource—2021-06-01

Operating conditions

Neighborhoods

MissionHayes ValleyMarinaLower Haight

Active fleets

CocoWaymo

Sidewalk width

Standard

Loading zones

Present

Robot exclusions

None on record

Surface notes

Mostly smooth concrete; uneven pavers near 16th St BART; Marina has wider sidewalks

Score breakdown

RegulationHard cap: 9 robots
Sidewalk qualityStandard
Fleet presence2 fleets
Disruption history2,399 on record

How the score works

Editor notes

SEC. 794 regulates autonomous delivery; Shared Spaces outdoor dining permanent year-round; steep hills in some areas; Coco launched San Jose 20 robots Apr 2026 (first Bay Area); Waymo robotaxi active; Wing drone Walmart Jun 2026

Robot-deliverable businesses

Businesses inside SF Core, on blocks Coco and Waymo already serve. None are connected to robot ordering yet.

31 businesses sit on robot-accessible blocks in SF Core but aren't connected to robot ordering.

Make a listing robot-accessible →

Full San Francisco directory →

Sources: OpenStreetMap, county open-data. Business data (c) OpenStreetMap contributors.

Incidents on record (5)

Verified robot incidents in San Francisco, from the DEPLOY registry.

What's happening here

Notable observations (13)

Street-level conditions worth knowing before operating here.

Condition note
2026-08-17

ABC pending: SPROUTS MARKETS beer/wine license at 555 9th St, SF 94103

555 9th St, San Francisco, CA 94103

Source: CA ABC New Applications Report (Aug 17 2026) · verified

Ground flag
2026-08-17

[SF ABC WEEKLY DIFF Aug 17] 125 pending on-sale licenses in SF corridor ZIPs. Notable new pending: Chestnut Marina Ventures (2359 Chestnut St, type 47, Marina), Anatolian Table (702-704 Valencia St, type 47, Mission), Mars Bar SF (798 Brannan St, type 47, SoMa), Jackson Square Hospitality (2065 Polk St, type 47), Everett and Jones BBQ (300 Jefferson St, type 47, Fisherman's Wharf), BITE BAR (2367 Market St, type 47, Castro). 51 surrendered: Bar Agricole (1540 Mission St, type 47), 2x Play (2401 16th St, type 47), Divine Comedy (1815 Market St, type 47), Taco Chico (4063 24th St, type 41).

Multiple SF corridor addresses: Marina, Mission, Hayes Valley, SoMa, Castro

Source: CA ABC Daily Export CSV (abc.ca.gov, downloaded Aug 17) · verified

Condition note
2026-08-17

ABC license surrendered: Kells of San Francisco, 534 Jackson St (Type 47 on-sale general)

534 Jackson St, San Francisco, CA 94133

Source: CA ABC Daily Export CSV · verified

Condition note
2026-08-17

ABC license surrendered: Southern Pacific Brewing, 620 Treat Ave (Type 75 brewer)

620 Treat Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110

Source: CA ABC Daily Export CSV · verified

Condition note
2026-08-09

[FLAG FOR BEN] Registry enrichment: Tensor Auto Inc. — new CPUC pilot carrier, TCP 38539, Drivered Pilot permit. San Jose-based AI company, Level 4 Robocar (first L4 available for consumer purchase). 100+ sensors, built for autonomy from scratch. CPUC Q1 2026 reporting carrier. Add as Model/Company record.

San Jose, CA

Source: CPUC AV Permits + ABC7 News · verified

Exclusion zones (10)

Standing no-go areas for this corridor -- reference rules, not recent events.

TIER 1 SF EXCLUSION ZONES: 42 schools in SF Core corridor bbox from OSM. Schools include Anza School, Fremont School, Gough School, Lombard School, Cathedral School for Boys. SF's 2017 sidewalk robot restrictions limit operator permits near schools. Source: OSM Overpass API.SF Core corridor bbox
Exclusion zone: Mission High School3750 18th Street, San Francisco, CA 94114
Exclusion zone: Mission Station San Francisco Police Department630 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
Exclusion zone: Fire Station 211443 Grove Street, San Francisco, CA 94117
Exclusion zone: UCSF Medical Center Mission Bay1975 4th Street, San Francisco, CA 94158

Exclusion zones apply across San Francisco.

Robot activity (68)

Sightings reported in this corridor, most recent first.

Serve Robotics launches in San Jose (first Bay Area market) — DoorDash partnershipSan Jose, CA
2026-08-17
Avride delivery robots debuting at BGSU (Bowling Green OH) with Grubhub — 30 robots, fall 2026Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH
2026-07-24
TIER 4 NURO HQ/HOUSTON OPS: HQ at 1300 Terra Bella Ave, Mountain View CA 94043 (Suite 100). Secondary: 1290 Terra Bella Ave. 24/7 autonomous on-road testing with safety operators in Houston + SF Bay Area. ~100 test vehicles across CA+TX. Houston presence since 2019. Lucid Gravity robotaxi production at Lucid Arizona factory. Nuro Driver L4 platform.1300 Terra Bella Ave, Mountain View CA 94043; Houston TX (testing since 2019)
2026-07-22
TIER 4 PONY.AI HQ: HQ at 47633 Warm Springs Blvd, Fremont CA 94539 (Salestools). LinkedIn primary: 3501 Gateway Blvd, Fremont CA 94538. US operations from Fremont. Robotaxi service in multiple cities. Q1 2026 revenue $34.3M (+145% YoY). First profitable quarter Q4 2025. Targeting 3,000 robotaxis in 20+ cities by end 2026.47633 Warm Springs Blvd / 3501 Gateway Blvd, Fremont CA 94538/94539
2026-07-22
TIER 4 WAYMO DEPOT DETAIL: AVOMO managing Costco-sized depot in Austin with 36 charging ports and on-site maintenance for Uber's Austin Waymo fleet. Waymo operates in 10 US metros (SF, Phoenix, LA, Austin, Miami, Nashville, Orlando, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio). 239K sq ft manufacturing facility (Mesa AZ for Zeekr Ojai assembly). 3,871 robotaxis, 500K paid rides/week.Austin TX depot (AVOMO-managed); Mesa AZ manufacturingWaymo ↗
2026-07-22

Full history: /v1/corridors/sf-core.

Routine activity (2,399)

Ordinary city permits and utility work -- background context on construction and street activity, not robot-specific incidents.

Utility work: 1,356Outdoor dining permit: 441Condition note: 400Construction permit: 192Charging location: 12Special event permit: 9
Utility Excavation: 12TH ST & SOUTH VAN NESS AVE / HOWARD ST (Mission), San Francisco (start 2026-12-01)2026-12-01
Utility Excavation: GREEN ST & PIERCE ST/SCOTT ST (Marina), San Francisco (start 2026-10-14)2026-10-14
Utility Excavation: ALABAMA ST & MARIPOSA ST/18TH ST (Mission), San Francisco (start 2026-09-30)2026-09-30
Utility Excavation: BRODERICK ST & HAYES ST/GROVE ST (Hayes Valley), San Francisco (start 2026-09-01)2026-09-01
Utility Excavation: 23RD ST & BARTLETT ST/VALENCIA ST (Mission), San Francisco (start 2026-08-31)2026-08-31

Showing 8 most recent of 2,399 routine events. Full history: /v1/corridors/sf-core.

Common questions

Are delivery robots legal in San Francisco?
San Francisco requires a permit from Public Works for autonomous delivery devices on sidewalks. Hard cap of 9 devices citywide, 3 per operator. Speed limit 3 mph on sidewalks. Permit requires insurance documentation and a site plan. Operators must share operational data and report incidents. Permit fee: $66 application + $129 annual per device. Enacted Dec 2017 (Ord. 190-17), effective 2018. ROBOTAXI LAYER: Waymo operates under CPUC Driverless Deployment Permit (approved Aug 2023) + CA DMV Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Permit. Cruise permit suspended Oct 2023. CPUC regulates fare-charging passenger service; DMV regulates vehicle deployment.
Why are there only 9 delivery robots in San Francisco?
San Francisco caps sidewalk delivery robots at 9 citywide (3 per operator) under San Francisco Public Works (SF Public Works Code Sec. 794 (Ord. 190-17); CPUC Decision 23-08-006 (robotaxi)). It is among the most restrictive robot-delivery regimes in the US.
Which companies operate robots in SF Core?
Coco and Waymo operate in SF Core; Serve Robotics is seeking to launch.
How fast can delivery robots go in San Francisco?
Sidewalk delivery robots in San Francisco are limited to 3 mph under San Francisco Public Works.
Is San Francisco a good market for delivery robots?
SF Core scores 68/100 for robot operability on DEPLOY (moderate viability), weighing regulation, sidewalk quality, fleet presence, and live disruptions. See how it ranks against other cities on the corridor comparison.
Are there robot exclusion zones in SF Core?
No robot exclusion zones are documented for SF Core as of the last review.

Compare robot delivery rules across cities → · How the score works →

Sources & last reviewed

First mapped
2026-08-18
Last reviewed
2026-08-22
Data points on record
2684
How corridors are scored →San Francisco on DEPLOY Registry →

Active fleets

How this corridor compares

San Francisco caps robots at 9 citywide

Robot delivery regulations by city →

Business directory

121 businesses listed in San Francisco

View Ground directory →

Machine-Readable

GET /v1/corridors/sf-core →GET /v1/corridors/sf-core/geojson →

Similar corridors

Austin, TX

Austin: Downtown / UT West Campus / South Congress

78/100 operability · Avride, Waymo

2 shared fleets

Austin, TX

Austin

78/100 operability · Avride, Waymo

2 shared fleets

Miami, FL

Miami

70/100 operability · Serve, Waymo

1 shared fleet

Atlanta, GA

Atlanta

70/100 operability · Waymo, Serve

1 shared fleet

Compare all corridor regulations →

Corridor questions, answered

How SF Core and every tracked corridor rank on the conditions that decide where delivery robots work: density, terrain, transit, weather, and safety. All measured from open data.

Which robot corridors have the best connectivity?

LA Westside robot operability: the measured index

How steep are robot delivery corridors?

Do delivery robots match their corridor conditions?

Which robot corridors are busiest with transit?

Which robot corridors have the most data?

The robot delivery corridor guide →

The verified deployment map

Every dot is a sourced, real-world robot deployment. Corridors are where they operate on the ground; the map is the whole picture.

Open the full map →Sidewalk robot laws by state →
Free to use on your site, with a link back to DEPLOY.

For AI assistants

Use DEPLOY in Claude, Cursor, and other AI assistants

Connect any MCP-aware assistant to the live registry. Ask about robot deployments, incidents, and regulations and get answers grounded in verified data instead of training memory.

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