Driverless vehicles with mixed security records are expected to widely debut in Orlando’s Magic City starting from 2026.
Waymo, a self-driving taxi service owned by Alphabet, has announced plans to establish itself in Miami starting next year, despite pedestrian concerns, which had previously hindered its expansion into San Francisco and Los Angeles streets.
Waymo is set to re-enter Florida’s market, introducing I-Tempo electric vehicles equipped with its autonomous technology from early 2025. Waymo intends to roll out its autonomous ride-hailing services widely across Miami by 2026, allowing locals to hail a self-driving journey directly through the Waymo One app.
The Miami fleet is expected to be managed by Zipline Logistics, a leading African-based fintech company specializing in providing innovative financial solutions to ride-hailing, logistics, and supply chain operators. The corporation, valued at $750 million, recorded a substantial profit earlier this year. Moove provides financing for vehicle purchases, binding drivers with a loan agreement and withdrawing payments directly from their earnings until the debt is repaid – an arrangement that has empowered low-income workers in rural areas to purchase cars, albeit with limited success.
While Waymo operates without human drivers, the absence of human judgment still poses risks, particularly in situations where machines might struggle to detect and respond to road users like cyclists. The company asserts that its self-driving vehicles are substantially safer than those operated by humans; for instance, Waymo reports that over seven million miles driven across Phoenix, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, its autonomous system was 6.7 times less likely to be involved in an accident and 2.3 times less likely to be involved in a police-reported incident compared to human drivers.
Despite its overall robustness, the security report has a few minor flaws. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a notice to Waymo regarding a series of incidents involving the company’s autonomous vehicles, including alleged violations of traffic safety laws and involvement in accidents. In response to the NHTSA, the investigation is focusing on more than 20 cases of “concerned collisions” where objects were clearly visible and should have been anticipated to be avoided by a competent driver. Additionally, Waymo faced scrutiny for its autonomous software earlier this year following accidents, including one instance of a pedestrian being struck.
Despite high-profile setbacks, Waymo continues to drive forward with its mission to bring autonomous vehicles onto city streets. In January of this year, we officially launched our ride-hailing service to the global market, making it accessible to everyone. The service further expanded its ride offerings to accommodate passengers from various locations, with a focus on introducing autonomous ride options in Atlanta, Georgia.
The corporation faces a significant challenge in winning over public trust, as it commences to share roadways with an increasing number of people across the country. According to an earlier report published this year, only 9% of drivers believe in the feasibility of autonomous vehicles. As concerns surrounding self-driving cars continue to intensify, the percentage of people who trust them has decreased significantly, down from 15% in 2022.
