The city of Orlando has unveiled a new, autonomous shuttle program that will transport riders through a portion of downtown Orlando.
On Wednesday, city officials unveiled a new Shuttling With Autonomous Navigation (SWAN) Shuttles program that will operate seven days a week in Creative Village.
The shuttles will make their debut today, Sunday, August 20, at 10 a.m.
“The city of Orlando believes communities must be connected to thrive and so we are always looking at new ways to embrace creative, innovative ways to do this,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer on the new program.
The project was done in partnership with the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority and Beep, Inc., an Orlando-area provider of autonomous shared mobility solutions.
Through the program, the city and LYNX will obtain data to guide the city’s transportation strategy on how shared, electric and autonomous vehicles can enhance accessibility and improve the quality of life for residents.
“We move thousands of customers each and every day. This partnership is an innovative way to test technology and understand how it will benefit our riders in a real-time setting that we believe will benefit the community for years to come,” said Tiffany Homler Hawkins, CEO of LYNX.
The new shuttles will provide limited service during the six-month test, transporting riders between five stops within Creative Village on an approximately one-mile portion of existing LYMMO Orange Line. All LYMMO buses will remain in service with the same service hours.
The autonomous shuttles will operate every day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
The program will be tested for the next six months, through April 2024. If successful, the city says the pilot could be expanded throughout the city and into areas like the South Downtown District and Ivanhoe Village.
For more information on the program, visit the City of Orlando’s SWAN Shuttle webpage.