The IT Nerd

Beep – the mobility-as-a-service entity that already operates the country’s largest and most tenured autonomous shuttle deployments in the country – has news that major European automotive companies ZF and Benteler (new brand Holon) have announced that their all-new autonomous shuttles which were launched at CES today will be hitting roads in the U.S. through Beep service.

Here’s some key announcements:

• ZF and Beep sign agreement to potentially supply several thousand new-generation autonomous Level 4 shuttles to U.S. market: ZF announces partnership with mobility provider Beep to bring new-generation autonomous Level 4 shuttle to U.S. market – ZF
• Benteler/Holon: The autonomous mover for everyone: World premiere of HOLON vehicle at CES 2023
  • New BENTELER brand HOLON presents world’s first autonomous mover built to automotive standards
  • Vehicle to combine sustainability, inclusion, comfort and safety
  • Collaboration with Mobileye, Beep and Cognizant Mobility, among others
• Also as an FYI:
  • Beep also operates in various communities in Florida, Georgia, Arizona and just finished service at Yellowstone National Park where National Park Service worked with Beep on AV strategy for the entire system of National Parks in the U.S. 
  • The company tackles everything from end-to-end – from government cooperation on evolving policy/regulation/etc. on autonomous vehicles, deploying/managing the fleets of AVs, integration with the communities to include first responder training to hiring attendants and most importantly, its backing by Intel reinforces confidence in Beep’s development of software/intellectual property around technologies that are driving the entire autonomous vehicle landscape forward.

This is a company that I will be keeping my eye on as they’ve clearly going places. Excuse the pun.

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) selected the Balfour Beatty Vision 2 Reality (V2R) Team and lead AV contractor Beep, a global leader in multi-passenger, electric, autonomous mobility solutions, to deliver Phase I of the Ultimate Urban Circulator (U2C) project, the Bay Street Innovation Corridor in Downtown Jacksonville.

The Bay Street Innovation Corridor is an approximately 3-mile, at-grade autonomous vehicle transportation solution that will run along East Bay Street in Downtown Jacksonville, from Hogan Street to the city’s Sports & Entertainment District, which includes TIAA Bank Field, 121 Financial Field and the Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena. The project is supported by a $12.5 million BUILD grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, funding from the Florida Department of Transportation, North Florida Transportation Planning Organization, and local funds. Phase II of the U2C program includes a full conversion of the JTA’s elevated Skyway APM system. Phase III will expand street level extensions into neighboring communities to connect Downtown Jacksonville to nearby neighborhoods. 

The Belfour Beatty V2R team comprises Beep, Superior Construction Southeast, WGI Inc., Stantec Consulting Services, and Miller Electric. 

Beep’s partnership with the JTA began as the Authority launched its AV Test & Learn Program at its Armsdale Test & Learn Center. Since 2017, the JTA’s Automation & Innovation Division has tested seven AVs and four AV platforms, and engaged with community partners, local schools, first responders, and disability advocates to ensure the U2C is safe, sustainable and accessible to all. 

From April to June 2020, the JTA and Beep deployed a fleet of autonomous vehicles operating in Level 4 autonomy to support the Mayo Clinic’s COVID-19 testing efforts at its Jacksonville Campus.  Over the four-month period, AVs safely transported more than 30,000 COVID-19 samples collected from a drive-thru testing site to the hospital’s laboratories for testing. The Mayo Clinic project has since received national and international recognition from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), and ITS World Congress.

For more information about the JTA’s U2C program, visit u2c.jtafla.com