CHAMPIONSGATE, Fla. – The Florida Automated Vehicles (FAV) Summit is wrapping up Friday after three days of test rides, technology demonstrations and policy discussions aimed at accelerating the future of transportation across the state.
This year’s summit, held at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate, brought together state leaders, transportation agencies and some of the nation’s top autonomous vehicle companies to highlight how Florida is moving from pilot programs to large-scale deployment.
Former State Sen. Jeff Brandes, founder of the Florida Policy Project, said Florida’s size and tourism make it a prime proving ground for emerging technologies.
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“With the 23 million residents and 150 million tourists, [it] makes Florida the perfect state for the deployment of these technologies,” Brandes said. “Florida is going to be the key hub for that conversation.”
Demonstrations featured self-driving shuttles, automated delivery vehicles, electric mobility options and connected roadway technology from companies, including Waymo, Beep, Saferydr, Glydways and others. Organizers say the focus is on improving safety, efficiency and access for everyday travel.
At the summit, attendees were able to ride in autonomous shuttles to experience what future commutes could look like. Representatives from Glydways said giving the public hands-on experience is critical to building trust.
“We feel like seeing is believing. We want people to experience the future of public transportation,” a Glydways spokesperson said. “Being able to sit in our car, hear the music, experience the static ride, it’s going to put people over the edge to experience our vision.”
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The Florida Policy Project and Central Florida Expressway Authority say their priority moving forward is taking autonomous and connected technology “off the expo floor” and integrating it into real-world systems that Floridians can use daily.
Organizers expect more test sites, additional partnerships and increased autonomous vehicle activity across Central Florida over the next year, positioning the region as a national hub for mobility innovation.
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