Self-driving artificial intelligence-powered robotaxis have officially begun zooming into Orlando.
Waymo made its debut in the City Beautiful Tuesday, offering an unconventional ride service that strives to be “the world’s most trusted driver,” says the company, which is owned by Google parent company Alphabet.
The cars eliminate human drivers, opting instead for an AI-powered ride. Waymo vehicles detect pedestrians, public transit vehicles and emergency vehicles through a combination of cameras, lidar, radar and artificial intelligence, the company says.
It also eliminates the need for passengers to tip their drivers, as is the norm for other ride share services. It’s worth noting, however, that untipped Waymo rides did not end up costing less than tipped Uber rides, and tipped Lyft rides cost less than either one, in a comparison performed in San Francisco by Business Insider.
The service also debuted in Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday, bringing the total number of cities it operates in to 10.
Waymo announced select riders in these cities who have downloaded the Waymo app were invited Tuesday to take their first local rides. Additional invitations will be sent out to new riders on a rolling basis.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer previously said the service is a testament to the city’s forward-thinking. Integrating Waymo in Orlando aligns with the city’s “Vision Zero” goal to eliminate traffic deaths and accidents by 2040.
Waymo is already active in major cities such as Phoenix, Los Angeles, Miami and Atlanta.
Waymo has argued that its AI-powered “driver” is “always alert, as it follows speed limits, promotes seat belt use and operates some of the safest vehicles on the road,” compared to other drivers.
However, Waymo has received criticism for risks to public safety and for its potential to undermine publicly owned and operated transit systems (despite incentives Waymo has offered for people to use both).
In late 2025, the company was investigated for allegedly failing to comply with traffic laws regarding school buses. Shortly after, Waymo stated that it had already implemented software updates to fix any malfunctions.
The company made headlines in November when a self-driving car struck and killed Kit Kat, a beloved San Francisco bodega cat. His death rallied the district, resulting in memorials for the tabby and posters protesting the ride service. As news spread beyond the neighborhood, social media users formed negative opinions about the service.
An independent analysis of federal crash data by the Substack publication Understanding AI found that, from February to August of 2025, most of the 41 crashes that reportedly involved Waymo’s robotaxis weren’t the fault of Waymo’s software itself, but rather actions by other drivers or — as The Atlantic put it — “seemingly an act of God.”
This story includes additional reporting by McKenna Schueler.
Subscribe to Orlando Weekly newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Bluesky | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
