Move over, Waymo. It looks like more Florida residents will be able to try what’s considered the onset of something major.
Tesla has expanded its Robotaxi service and is entering the driverless ride-hailing service to two more cities: Orlando and Tampa, following its launch in Miami earlier this month.
Riders are now able to access Tesla’s Model Y vehicles through the Tesla Robotaxi app.
So far, the company’s Robotaxi service is available in seven U.S. cities: Austin, Houston, Dallas, Miami, Orlando, Tampa and San Francisco, Barchart reported.
Where in Tampa will the service take place?
The service area spans between 25 and 45 square miles, focused on downtown Tampa and extending into Ybor City, Tampa Heights, West Tampa and portions of East Tampa. The Robotaxi service currently does not serve South Tampa, Tampa International Airport or most suburban neighborhoods.
Meanwhile, in Orlando, the service area excludes major hubs such as Orlando International Airport (MCO), downtown Orlando, and theme parks such as Disney, Universal and Sea World, Fox13 reported.
Tesla’s approach to driverless transportation differs from that of its competitors.
While companies such as Waymo use a combination of lidar, radar and sonar sensors, Tesla relies exclusively on cameras and AI software to navigate the city streets.
The company’s philosophy holds that if a person can navigate using their eyes, a vehicle should be able to do the same using camera inputs.
According to recent survey data cited by Fox13, only 5% of Americans have taken a ride in a driverless car thus far, but Tesla’s major move is a step toward making that experience more widespread for everyone.
