From Magic to Mayhem: Orlando’s Self Driving Bus Debuts with a Crash
You know, trusting a self driving bus feels like believing In riding a unicorn. Sounds magical, but I’d bet my breakfast that’s not gonna happen. Yeah, no thanks. I’ve had enough close calls with human drivers to know that my survival instincts would be working overtime in a self-driving bus. It’s like expecting a your cat to obey traffic rules – cute idea, but good luck with that.
According to the New York Post, it seems like Orlando’s attempt at a futuristic robot transportation party just hit a bit of a speed bump. And by speed bump, I mean a collision of epic proportions. Just two days after the grand unveiling of the SWAN shuttle, you know, that Shuttling with Autonomous Navigation thingamajig? It decided to have a little rendezvous with a good ol’ regular-sized bus.
The self-driving shuttle was all geared up and ready to impress too. Then, suddenly, chaos! The SWAN shuttle’s idea of a warm welcome is an unexpected tango with another bus, aptly named LYMMO. Someone call a traffic cop, or maybe Robocop!
@samorlando220 Tried out the new SWAN Shuttle auntonmous shuttle in Downtown Orlando today. We crashed. #Beep
♬ original sound - Sam Gallaher
TikTok explorer, Sam Gallaher, was there to capture the moment of technological bonding gone awry. In a now-viral video, we witness the full glory of this accidental dance-off. Just moments after the SWAN shuttle embarks on its maiden voyage, the LYMMO bus swoops in with all the elegance of a bulldozer.
Passengers onboard were undoubtedly holding onto their seats for dear life, shouting “Whoa, whoa!” as the two buses got too close and personal for comfort. And let’s not forget the minor damage. Because even when robots crash, they’ve got to keep it stylish. But hey, at least no humans were harmed in the making of this autonomous action movie.
So, the SWAN shuttle’s first big outing turned out to be more like a fender-bender fiesta. Let’s just hope the next chapter of Orlando’s autonomous adventure involves fewer collisions and more, you know, actual navigation. Look, when it comes to putting my life in the hands of a robot chauffeur, count me out. I’d rather stick to the devil I know… the erratic, sometimes infuriating, but ultimately human drivers. At least I can give them a piece of my mind if things go south.
The Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicles In The State of Florida
10. Hyundai Sonata
Hyundai Motor Company shows off a 2019 Sonata Hybrid at the Chicago Auto Show on February 8, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
The Hyundai Sonata comes in 10th on the list of most stolen vehicles in Florida. 577 were stolen last year with the most common model year taken being the 2013. This was one of the vehicles documented online on how easy they were to steal. The only surprise it’s that more weren’t stolen,
9. Honda CR-V
(Photo by Alex Edelman/Getty Images)
The Honda CR-V is a very common vehicle here in Florida. 580 were stolen last year with the most common year taken being the 2021. This car is victim of global supply and demand. If your Honda CR-V is stolen, it may end up in a shipping container heading overseas.
8. Dodge Charger
(Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
This car may rise in popularity now that Dodge is discontinuing the gas powered models. 639 were stolen last year in Florida with the most targeted model year being 2021. This car was targeted after it was shown online that if you broke a window and climbed in you could put the car in neutral and push it down the street. From there it takes thieves about 90 seconds to program a new key FOB and then drive away.
7. Honda Civic
(Photo by Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images)
772 Honda Civics were stolen last year in Florida. The 2020 model was the favorite. In 2022 a hacker developed a way to remotely unlock and start these cars. Made them waaaaay too easy to steal until that vulnerability was fixed.
6. Toyota Corolla
(Photo by Robert Hradil/Getty Images)
There’s so many Toyota Corollas in Florida it’s no wonder this car made the list. 887 were stolen last year with the 2021 model being the most common.
5. Toyota Camry
(Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Like the Corolla, there are a LOT of these cars on the road here in Florida. 989 stolen here in the state and the 2021 model was the one most targeted. Throw an Apple Air Tag in the back for a cheap piece of mind.
4. Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
(Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Tops in the nation, but 4th on the Florida list. Full size Chevy pickups had 992 reported stolen in Florida last year. The 2021 was the most common. There’s a theory that these trucks are being targeted for their the catalytic converters.
3. Nissan Altima
(Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
Another very common vehicle on the Florida roads, 1,000 Nissan Altimas were reported stolen in Florida last year. The 2015 was the year most swiped. If you have an Altima you need to read up on a “relay attack.”
2. Honda Accord
(Photo by Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty Images)
Honda Accords were the 2nd most targeted vehicle in Florida last year. 1,003 were taken with the 2021 being the most targeted.
1. Ford Pickup (Full Size)
(Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
And this is where we see the jump. 2,030 Ford pickups were stolen in Florida. The most common being the 2006 model. There are a lot of these trucks here in Southwest Florida, but one of the reasons so many are stolen may seem kind of simple. Some of the models are just too big to fit in the garage. Since the truck is in the driveway it’s very vulnerable to a relay attack.
