Imagine getting to Walt Disney World in a car with no driver. It’s not some futuristic ride in Tomorrowland—it’s real life. Waymo is bringing its autonomous vehicles to Orlando.
Who Is Waymo?
Waymo, the self-driving car company owned by Google’s parent company Alphabet, has been working on autonomous vehicle technology for over a decade. Originally launched as Google’s self-driving car project in 2009, Waymo has gradually evolved into one of the most advanced and widely tested driverless vehicle systems in the world. They’ve already launched fully autonomous ride-hailing services in cities like Phoenix and San Francisco.
Why Waymo Is Coming to Orlando
Now, Waymo is hitting the road—literally—as part of its 2025 Road Trip. And one of its major stops? Orlando.
From Waymo’s X https://x.com/Waymo/status/1927396004606701883
Not Driverless Yet: Here’s Why
But don’t expect to hop in a driverless taxi just yet. During this trial run, the vehicles won’t be operating autonomously. Instead, they’ll be manually driven while they “learn” the local environment. Before launching in a new market, Waymo has to teach its cars how to drive in that city. That means capturing everything from regional driving behavior to unique local quirks, like our daily downpours and heavy tourist traffic.
Orlando’s Unique Driving Challenges
As Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer explained during a visit with the company, “They go into a city and figure out how drivers drive, basically,” he said. Referring to a joke about Florida drivers, Dyer added, “Waymo made the point that Orlando is not Miami. We expect better driving, but things like, do our cars stop for pedestrians?” (via MSN)
Waymo is currently operating in four cities, with two more set to launch this summer. Orlando is part of a broader expansion effort, and while this visit is just the beginning of testing, the company’s presence could pave the way for a more permanent driverless future in Central Florida.
Whether you’re commuting to work or heading to a theme park, it may not be long before you see a Waymo vehicle navigating the roads of Orlando—all on its own.
Final Thought
If you spot a car cruising around Orlando with no one behind the wheel, don’t panic. It might just be your ride to the Magic Kingdom.
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