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Self-driving cars, Waymo, comes to Orlando
Self-driving cars are coming to Orlando. Waymo announced Tuesday its plans to service customers in Orlando next year, in addition to other cities in Florida and Texas.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Self-driving cars are coming to Orlando. Waymo announced Tuesday its plans to service customers in Orlando next year, in addition to other cities in Florida and Texas.
What we know:
Waymo will be coming to Orlando in the next few weeks.
Operations, which start in Miami on Tuesday, will soon make its way to Orlando. At this time, Waymo will begin operations without passengers, but expects to offer rides to the public starting next year, the company said in a press release.
11 May 2023, USA, San Francisco: A self-driving car from Googles sister company Waymo is on the road in San Francisco. Waymo vehicles will first become available this year in the U.S. city of Phoenix with ride service provider Uber. (to dpa: "Robot c …
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said he's thrilled Waymo is making its way to Orlando.
"We're thrilled that Waymo plans to bring its fully autonomous ride-hailing service to Orlando, and to the tens of millions of visitors we host each year," Dyer said in a statement on Nov. 18. "Waymo will be another exciting transportation option for the region that will enhance the investments we are already making in reducing congestion and increasing road and pedestrian safety. I plan to be one of the very first Waymo riders in Orlando."
Kaleb Stunkard, President & CEO of Lighthouse Central Florida, said they continue to "adopt innovative technology to open new pathways to independence for the blind and visually impaired community.
Stunkard said the organization is "proud to join forces with Waymo to make safe, reliable transportation accessible to everyone, and bring us closer to a world where blindness is never a barrier to mobility."
Self-driving car from Waymo and Jaguar, I-Pace, driving in traffic in San Francisco, California, June 14, 2021. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
What is Waymo?
Waymo – which launched in the Metro Phoenix area in 2018 – is a taxi with an automated driver.
Waymo cars – a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc, Google's parent company – are fully electric Jaguar I-PACEs. Passengers can "hail" a Waymo using its app to request a car. Waymo said it will choose the safest place to pick its passengers up. Passengers unlock the door with the app.
The technology uses custom maps, matched with real-time sensor data and artificial intelligence (AI) to determine its exact road location at all times.
Waymo said data demonstrates the Waymo Driver is already improving road safety in the cities we currently serve, with 11 times fewer serious injury collisions compared to human drivers.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 08: In an aerial view, Waymo autonomous vehicles sit parked in a staging area on June 08, 2023 in San Francisco, California. Autonomous vehicle companies Cruise and Waymo have been testing their vehicles throughout S …
New cities getting Waymo
Other new cities Waymo is coming to include: Miami, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.
Waymo's website also said it plans to come to Denver, Detroit, Las Vegas, Nashville, San Diego and Washington D.C. Waymo also plans to be in London.
What other cities have Waymo?
Waymo is currently driving in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin, and Atlanta. Waymo cars in Atlanta and Austin are run by a partnership with Uber.
Cost of Waymo?
Business Insider reported a 12-minute ride for one passenger in San Francisco was $16.
The Source: Information in this story was sourced from Waymo's website and press releases.