Attention Miami drivers: If you notice an empty Jaguar stopped at a red light, don't assume the driver bailed in a fit of road rage.

• It might just be a self-driving taxi, which Waymo began testing on Miami roads yesterday.

Why it matters: The ride-hailing company — which currently operates in several U.S. cities from Los Angeles to Atlanta — is planning to launch in Miami, Orlando and across Texas in 2026.

The latest: After first using drivers to test Waymo's electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles in Miami, the company yesterday began operating a limited number of fully driverless vehicles with Waymo employees as passengers.

• The cars are not using the highways — yet — but Waymo does operate on freeways in California and Arizona, a spokesperson told Axios.
• The company is taking its cars across Miami-Dade County, from Doral to Bal Harbour to South Miami and more, the spokesperson said.
• "As we've done in the past, we'll gradually expand our operations over time."

State of play: Miami has long been a testing ground for self-driving vehicles — thanks to the city's tropical weather and unpredictable driving conditions.

• Companies like Ford, Lyft and Amazon-owned Zoox have tested their vehicles on our streets.
• Last month, the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office rolled out a new autonomous police cruiser.

How it works: Waymo — owned by Google parent company Alphabet — says its cars are controlled by a "demonstrably safe AI" system that is trained through real-world driving and advanced simulation.

• When entering a new city, the company says it compares its driving performance against a baseline to measure outcomes and "identify any unique local characteristics."
• "As needed, we then refine the Waymo Driver's AI to navigate these local nuances — which are becoming fewer with every city," Waymo said in a press release.

Friction point: In July, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration closed a 14-month investigation into Waymo over a series of minor collisions and "unexpected behavior," deciding to take no action against the company, Reuters reported.

• The federal safety agency cited Waymo's decision to recall more than 1,200 self-driving vehicles in May for software updates and to address collision risks with roadway barriers, per Reuters.
• Waymo says that compared to the average human-driven car, its self-driving cars are involved in far fewer injury-causing collisions.

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Florida's tallest building could soon be coming to Brickell.

The latest: Hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin is heading to the Miami-Dade County Commission on Thursday to seek approval of a 54-story tower along Biscayne Bay, the South Florida Business Journal reported.

• The tower will house the new headquarters of Griffin's firm, Citadel, other companies and a hotel.

The big picture: Griffin, who moved his financial empire to Miami from Chicago in 2022, has become a prominent figure reshaping South Florida and the state.

Zoom in: The developer is seeking a special exception that would allow for a mixed-use building to be located closer to the Biscayne Bay shoreline than code allows, the outlet reported.

• The FAA in July approved the design.

The intrigue: Along with the request, Griffin offered a $3 million donation for stormwater drainage and other traffic improvements, per the outlet.

Zoom out: The project, submitted to the county in August, is located at 1201 Brickell Bay Drive.

• It will span roughly 2 million square feet.
• The upper floors will occupy approximately 413,000 square feet for a 212-room hotel, spa, conference room and event space.
• About 23,500 square feet will be slated for restaurant and/or retail space.

What we're watching: County staff recommended commissioners approve the project.

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🍔 Southern Living Magazine named Gilbert's 17th Street Grill, located along Cordova Road in Fort Lauderdale, one of the 20 best burger joints in the South. It's the only Florida burger spot to make the list. (Miami New Times)

🏗️ Miami ranks second among global markets for the number of branded residences, with 48 completed projects and 55 planned. Dubai is No. 1, with 64 completed projects and 87 planned. (The Real Deal)

🍽️ Buccan in Palm Beach was included in OpenTable's Top 100 Restaurants of 2025, a list compiled by diner demand. (Open Table)

🤑 Three companies received $100,000 from the county and a local non-profit to pilot projects aimed at reducing and recycling more of Miami-Dade's trash. (Miami Herald)

Miami Beach's free water taxi service will return for Miami Art Week next month.

Why it matters: If you don't want to sit in traffic getting from, say, Art Miami to Art Basel, you could take a complimentary ferry connecting downtown Miami to South Beach.

Zoom in: The water taxi service will run every 10–15 minutes between Maurice Gibb Memorial Park, at 1790 Purdy Ave., Miami Beach, and the Venetian Marina & Yacht Club at 1635 North Bayshore Dr., Miami.

• Up to seven water taxis will operate from 10am to midnight Monday, Dec. 1, to Saturday, Dec. 6, according to the city's website.
• On Sunday, Dec. 7, the boats will run 10am-10pm.

Free shuttles will also connect passengers to several art fairs across the area, running every 15 minutes.

See shuttle schedule

🏙️ Check out what's happening around Miami.

World Strategic Forum at The Loews Hotel, Coral Gables, Florida Nov 24-25: The World Strategic Forum unites global leaders to drive innovation, collaboration, and strategic growth.

Interested in featuring an event? Email [email protected].

More than 50% of childless young adults in Miami are thinking about leaving, a new survey finds.

Why it matters: Lots of young people considering a move can signal bigger issues for any city, like a lack of perceived job opportunities or affordable housing.

By the numbers: Miami ranked third on the list, with nearly 52% saying they're "likely" or "very likely" to leave town.

• The 305 came after Baltimore (about 62%) and Charlotte (about 58%).

How it works: That's based on Gensler survey data covering about 2,200 residents aged 18-34 with no children across 27 major U.S cities and conducted between July and November 2024.

• The question was open-ended, with no particular time frame on when respondents were thinking about moving.

Go deeper: National outlook