Orlando has long had trouble with mass transit. Although needed as a way for minorities and low-income and disabled people to get around the area's sprawling landscape, local political interests prefer more road development and private cars. They are hostile to mass transit due to the cost and fear of providing competition for the area's massive and politically influential car rental operators and Yellow cab franchisee. The result is that Orlando lags in mass transit and is chronically under pressure from federal regulators to do better.
So along comes an autonomous bus company that promises an innovative and relatively cheap mass transit solution. Embracing the new technology provides a way to again tell critical federal officials that the Orlando area is finally taking mass transit seriously -- so please hold off on sanctions and keep the federal transit cash flowing.