In urban areas, residents and visitors depend heavily on public transit to get where they need to go. But as cities begin to steer away from traditional public transit, we’re seeing an increased need for smart, sustainable, environmentally friendly public transit solutions that solve first and last-mile problems.
That’s where autonomous shuttles come in. Autonomous mobility providers -like Beep, an Orlando-based startup– bring autonomous transit solutions that are purpose-built and require no human intervention whatsoever to smart city streets to improve the way residents and visitors connect within their communities.
And the use of this technology right here in the Silicon Orchard is not only helping cement the City of Peachtree Corners as one of the most unique and advanced smart city environments in the world, but a city council member’s interest in exploring autonomous vehicle solutions was the impetus of the entire Curiosity Lab ecosystem.
Smart City Infrastructure Opens Communication Path to Streets and Pedestrians
The City of Peachtree Corners and the Curiosity Lab’s smart city infrastructure is the perfect foundation for autonomous mobility companies to deploy, test and prove out their autonomous solutions in a real-world situation.
The dedicated test lanes throughout Technology Park are fitted with cellular-vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology, enabling autonomous shuttle fleets to directly communicate with the city’s smart city infrastructure, the cloud, and pedestrians over T-Mobile’s 5G network. A recent partnership between Beep and Moovit has also enabled riders in Peachtree Corners with the ability to hail a shuttle from their mobile device, improving wait times, route efficiency and rider experience.
Peachtree Corners Educates the Public on Emerging Transit Technologies
While the general public may be hesitant of driverless transit solutions, the City of Peachtree Corners knows these emerging technologies are critical to increasing accessibility and solving first and last-mile gaps in transit.
Recently the City and the Curiosity Lab announced a partnership with Partners for Automated Vehicle Education (PAVE) as a way to further educate the public on autonomous mobility solutions, raise awareness of how this technology benefits the community and provide data-driven insights on the effects of these technologies on public transit, sustainability, public health and safety, infrastructure and more.
This partnership also enables the City and the Curiosity Lab to provide a multi-pronged approach to educating the public sector, including hands-on demonstrations, virtual educational panels, public forums and more.
Autonomous Mobility Provides Innovative & Safe Transit Solutions
More than 90% of auto accidents are caused by human error, but the use of autonomous vehicles can help bring that number down and create safer streets for drivers and pedestrians.
Beep, an industry leader in the autonomous mobility space, uses innovative technology to connect, communicate and analyze its routes in real-time to decrease distracted driving, monitor the road from all sides and decrease the potential of traffic accidents. Each shuttle uses continuous communication with the smart city infrastructure and the use of unique software and a command center to monitor the route and its surroundings, providing a safe, stress-free ride for its passengers.
Adding on to its safety-first approach, another advantage of Beep’s autonomous shuttle fleets are its environmental benefits. Its shuttle fleet helps to solve common urban problems, like traffic jams and long wait times, decreasing overall air pollution and contributing to the city’s sustainability efforts.
Experience Autonomous Mobility at the Curiosity Lab
Beep’s shuttle fleet currently makes seven stops along Technology Parkway, two on the west side and five on the east side, with pending plans for route expansion. The expansion would extend the current shuttle route down 141, providing direct access to the Peachtree Corners Town Center, local restaurants, hotels and more. This is the next step in Peachtree Corners creating a more accessible city for its residents and visitors.
Find a full map of Beep’s shuttle stops in Peachtree Corners here.
To learn more about Beep or experience autonomous mobility firsthand, come down to the Curiosity Lab for an all-inclusive tour where you’ll see how the City of Peachtree Corners is bringing innovation to life throughout its smart city streets.