Waymo’s autonomous robotaxis can already be spotted on the streets of Miami, and soon it will be Orlando’s turn. Waymo aims to gain a head start on its competitors by completing one million passenger trips per week by the end of 2026. The company, valued at $126 billion, has just raised an additional $16 billion to continue its rollout. Competitors Tesla and Amazon-owned Zoox are still only in the testing phase in a few U.S. cities.
Two journalists from the Miami Herald recount their experience, which was both amusing and interesting. First disappointment: their vehicle arrived after 26 minutes, compared to just a few minutes for an Uber. Then, since these vehicles cannot yet drive on highways, they took numerous detours. The total trip took 56 minutes, even though Google Maps estimated 20 minutes! The robotaxi came to a stop twice because it had trouble changing lanes and turning left, causing traffic jams… Finally, upon arrival, it struggled to drop off its passengers at the mall entrance and stopped further away, blocking traffic once again.
So, not a success in terms of travel time, and the Waymo fare was about $10 more than the Uber ride, but the trip was safe and comfortable, similar to an Uber Black. In fact, a study conducted by Waymo last year indicated that its vehicles had proportionally fewer accidents than conventional cars.
Journalists Catherine Odom and Michael Butler compared their return trip with an Uber: it was certainly much faster, but their driver narrowly avoided an accident on I-95, honking and yelling at other drivers, and drove onto the sidewalk upon arrival.
Flying taxis come to the rescue
Hundreds of startups are entering the race for flying taxis, but two companies are locked in fierce competition: the American firm Archer Aviation and the British firm Vertical Aerospace. During its presentation last month in South Florida of its latest electric model equipped with four engines, Vertical Aerospace was sued for alleged patent infringements by Archer Aviation.
Archer is attempting to protect its latest model, the Midnight eVTOL with six engines, unveiled in December in a hangar in Coconut Grove. The industry is starting to carry significant weight, and billions of dollars in investment are at stake. Last June, President Trump signed an executive order directing the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) to work with private companies like Archer to develop a “pilot” program. He wants the United States to move faster than China.
Testing for these vehicles of the future—which resemble a cross between a jet and a drone capable of carrying up to six passengers—is primarily taking place at SunTrax near Orlando, just as it is for autonomous cars.
South Florida is at the forefront of this project: it is seeking solutions to its recurring traffic congestion problems, and it has the advantage of the geographical proximity between its airports, which could host the first vertiports. This is the name given to this type of infrastructure—which does not yet exist—that will serve as a vertical takeoff platform for these new vehicles.
Florida is identified as one of the leading states for the first trials.
And while no one is rushing to give launch dates, we might see these silent, pollution-free aircraft flying in our skies sooner than we imagine.
