ORLANDO, Fla. — Waymo officially launched its driverless taxi service in Orlando on Tuesday, offering autonomous rides across nearly 60 square miles of the city.
The rollout began with a fleet of a few dozen vehicles following more than six months of testing in the area.
The service area encompasses neighborhoods west of downtown and continues southward along the Interstate 4 corridor and the Florida’s Turnpike.
While the taxis are available 24 hours a day, the company is currently limiting operations to surface streets and has already established a waitlist of thousands of residents.
Pricing for the service is dynamic and depends on factors such as trip length and current demand.
Waymo estimates that a typical 15-minute drive costs approximately $10.
Passengers use the Waymo app to hail the vehicle, unlock doors upon arrival and start the ride from either their phone or an in-car passenger screen.
The app also allows riders to track their route and estimated time of arrival or contact support staff for assistance.
Mark Lewis, a spokesperson for Waymo, highlighted the company’s safety data following extensive road testing.
“We have measured up to 120 million miles and it shows that we are 10 times less likely to be in an accident that causes serious injury or worse,” Lewis said. The vehicles have been testing on Orlando roads for more than six months prior to the official launch.
Lewis described the technology’s ability to navigate complex traffic situations, such as maneuvering around stalled vehicles.
“It is really amazing how human like the ride really is in terms of gentle stops, being responsive,” Lewis said. “If there’s a car stuck in front of you...the Waymo driver knows that is can swerve and move around and accelerate.”
The autonomous vehicles do not currently use highways or freeways. Lewis explained that the company is focusing on mastering local roads before moving to higher-speed routes.
“We are going to make sure we are getting the surface streets right have high confidence in that and then move onto freeways and also work with the airport to gain access to that too,” Lewis said.
Waymo plans to expand the number of available vehicles and grant access to those on the waitlist in the near future.
The company is also working with Orlando International Airport to gain service access for future trips.
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