I Tested Orlando’s Robotaxi for the First Time

I tested out the Robotaxi Orlando service for the first time, and I have to say, it was pretty awesome. Here’s exactly what the experience was like, from pickup to drop-off.

What Was It Like When the Car Pulled Up?

It was genuinely strange seeing the car pull up with no one in the driver’s seat. There’s a moment of hesitation before you actually walk up to it, since it just doesn’t look right at first — but once you’re standing next to it, it feels a lot more normal than you’d expect.

What’s It Like Getting In and Starting the Ride?

Getting in took me a second, since the door handle isn’t quite what you’re used to on a normal car. Once inside, you put your seatbelt on, hit start on the screen, and the car just starts driving on its own. The car itself was super clean, too.

How Was the Actual Ride?

The ride was really smooth, from changing lanes to making turns at intersections. There wasn’t any hesitation or jerky movement — it handled traffic more confidently than I expected for a first ride.

What Features Are Inside the Car?

The touchscreen lets you connect to Hulu to watch movies, play games, or connect to Spotify to listen to your own music, and the sound system was excellent. You can also control the AC and move the back seats directly from the screen.

Can You Change Your Destination Mid-Ride?

Yes — I changed my destination mid-ride directly in the app, and it recalculated the route and kept going without ending the trip or starting a new one. That made it easy to test a longer loop without booking multiple separate rides.

Where Does Orlando’s Robotaxi Currently Operate?

Right now, the service only runs in a specific zone of Orlando, mainly along the Semoran Blvd and Lee Vista Blvd corridor near the airport. It doesn’t yet cover Disney, Universal, Downtown Orlando, or the airport terminals, so you’ll need to be inside that service area to request a ride.

What This Means

Orlando’s robotaxi service is still limited to a fairly small footprint, but the actual ride experience exceeded my expectations — smooth, clean, and genuinely easy to use. I’m curious to see how quickly the service area expands into more of Central Florida, and I’ll keep testing it as it grows.