ORLANDO, Fla. — As Waymo’s self-driving car service becomes available by invite only in Orlando, some residents say they feel uncomfortable seeing the vehicles parked in residential neighborhoods.
Mykhael Michaels showed video of Waymo self-driving cars parked in his Williamsburg neighborhood outside his home.
“It just feels weird in this quiet neighborhood,” he said. “We basically know what cars are supposed to be in here.”
While none were seen during a visit, Michaels said it has been happening for the past few months.
“They’ll be here for about 40 minutes, and then it’ll pull off,” he said.
He said he wishes they would stay off his street.
“Feeling like we are being watched or surveilled. It’s just strange,” he said.
He’s not the only one concerned. In Pine Castle, Jose Sierra said Waymo vehicles have been making rounds and parking in his neighborhood since November.
“I saw the front is empty, but I don’t know who’s in the backside,” he said. “Nervous.”
Waymo has a private lot for parking and released a statement saying, “Our ride-hailing vehicles will occasionally use publicly available parking spaces when needed between trips to avoid unnecessarily contributing to congestion. We identify parking spaces using publicly available information and by following city curb restrictions.”
But some residents say there are commercial lots available.
“I feel like you should garage your cars in public lots,” Michaels said. “You know, there’s a Publix right up the street.”
An Orlando city spokesperson said there are ordinances governing where buses and taxis can park, and officials are looking into whether they can restrict parking for Waymo vehicles.
In Orange County, a spokesperson said self-driving cars fall under the same rules as human-driven cars. Unless a sign prohibits parking, a vehicle can park there.
Waymo said anyone can contact the company about parking concerns through its app or website.
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