Orlando Debuts Self-Driving Shuttle to Whisk Passengers Around Downtown

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There is going to be a new way to get around downtown Orlando, Florida, and it`s not going to require any human drivers.

Starting later this month, an electric, self-driving shuttle will whisk passengers around a 1-mile (1.6 km) loop in the downtown area for no charge, Orlando officials said Wednesday.

The eight-passenger shuttle service is part of a six-month trial for the central Florida city. Transportation planners hope to use data gathered from the pilot program to guide the city`s future transportation strategy.

“With the expansion of autonomous vehicle shuttles into our neighborhoods, we can converge cutting-edge technology with new mobility solutions to further redefine the way our community moves,” Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said.

The autonomous shuttle service is operated by Beep Inc., an Orlando-based company that already operates a similar service in a planned community near Orlando International Airport.

Photo: The new self driving SWAN (Shuttling with Autonomous Navigation) shuttle bus in Orlando. The shuttle seats up to eight passengers and will run along a one-mile route in downtown Orlando. (AP Photo/John Raoux)