Daniel Traugott of Pena Garcia & Diz. Courtesy photo Daniel Traugott of Pena Garcia & Diz. Courtesy photo

As we embark on the new year, it is often in our nature to look forward to new and innovative changes that we will soon encounter. While we are still a way off from autonomous vehicles dominating Florida roads, their presence in our everyday lives is much closer than you think. In December 2022, Uber and the robotic firm Cartken announced that autonomous delivery devices will operate in Miami to deliver takeout food via Uber Eats. These remotely supervised robots will drive up to six miles per hour on sidewalks with multiple sensors and cameras to help them avoid collisions and to choose routes that have the fewest hazards.

In July 2022, Kodiak Robotics announced they had completed a coast-to-coast commercial run with its autonomous trucks with a route completed between San Francisco to Jacksonville. During this pilot run, Kodiak's autonomous system was engaged over 90% of the time with limited disengagements.