You might’ve seen a Waymo car out and about in the city, or perhaps even taken one yourself! After accepting over 100,000 riders off their initial waitlist, the fully autonomous ride-hailing service is expanding to include rides throughout Miami and Orlando.
And while the service was originally offered to these select customers, Waymo is now open to all riders in both cities. Beginning today, residents and visitors alike can download the app, request a vehicle and let a robot do the driving.
Among the biggest updates to its Miami offerings since launching the service in January is the introduction of highway travel. Whether it’s I-95, the Dolphin Expressway or the Palmetto, you can be one of the first to access driverless highway routes by opting in directly through the app.
Additionally, Waymo now connects several major Orlando neighborhoods, providing transport to those in areas like Parramore, Richmond Heights and Florida Center.
According to the company, current and future services in both cities are built on real-world performance, comprehensive testing and extensive operational preparation, from navigating tropical downpours to working with local safety partners. And the stats speak for themselves. As listed on their site, the Waymo Driver has been involved in 92% fewer crashes that cause serious or fatal injuries compared to human drivers in the same conditions.
How to ride with Waymo
Now that the robotaxis are yours to try, it works similar to other ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft. Just open up the Waymo app, enter your destination and a driverless car will pull up to take you where you need to go.
When the car arrives, the doors will remain locked until you’re ready. You get the whole back seat to yourself, control over the music and uninterrupted A/C.
If you need help or want to pull over early, there’s also a “Support” button that instantly connects you to a human dispatcher. Once you get to your destination, the car will pull over and you can shut the door while the payment is handled automatically.
You can learn more about Waymo’s expanded service area on their website.
