Beep, a provider of autonomous shared mobility solutions, has begun operating the Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s autonomous vehicle service, Navi (Neighborhood Autonomous Vehicle Innovation).
Navi, the nation’s first fully autonomous public transportation system, launched in Jacksonville, Florida this week.
Backed by a five-year operations and maintenance contract, Beep will operate and maintain the Navi service, which is part of the JTA’s groundbreaking Ultimate Urban Circulator (U2C) program. The company is also announcing the closing of $52.7 million in a funding round co-led by Intel Capital and Blue Lagoon Capital.
In this first phase of the JTA’s U2C program, Beep will operate and maintain a customized fleet of 14 electric, autonomous, Buy America and ADA compliant Ford E-Transit vehicles integrated with Oxa’s automated driving system (ADS).
Beep’s proprietary technology will facilitate both vehicle deployment and command center operations from the JTA’s new Autonomous Innovation Center (AIC).
The vehicles will be deployed along the Bay Street Innovation Corridor, a 3.5-mile route in Downtown Jacksonville with 12 stops from the Central Business Core to the Sports and Entertainment District, encouraging downtown revitalization.
Kevin Reid, chairman and newly appointed CEO of Beep, says: “Beep is proud to improve safety, expand access, and optimize public transit in Jacksonville with the first fully autonomous system in the nation. Building this system is a significant milestone to achieve fully sustainable, smart cities.
“Our strong, long-term partnership with the visionary leaders at the JTA has laid the groundwork for the transformation of mobility and accessibility across the nation.”
Beep delivers the next generation of shared mobility services with driverless, electric, multi-passenger vehicles designed to serve both public and private communities.
Its vehicle-agnostic capabilities enable a broad and diverse ecosystem of ADS vehicle platforms and use cases in municipal services, rideshare, and more, ensuring safety across rural and urban environments.
Powered by AutonomOS, Beep’s AV-agnostic supervision and management platform enables operators and agencies to deliver transit-integrated AV mobility services at scale, providing for vehicle and cabin supervision, fleet orchestration, and integrated workflow management.
By complementing and expanding upon the capabilities of legacy and existing transportation networks, Beep safely and efficiently connects people, places, and services.
The City of Jacksonville is geographically large with low-density; the addition and integration of new Navi vehicles will enhance efficiency and safety, offering more reliable first- and last-mile services and expanding access to more destinations and riders.
Nat Ford, JTA CEO, says: “The goal of the Ultimate Urban Circulator is to provide multi-modal transit options that improve the city’s health, economy, and environment. The launch of Navi is a crucial step toward a smarter, more accessible, better-connected Jacksonville – a city that is defining the future of mobility.”
The new financing brings Beep’s total capital raised to $97.7 million and will be used to expand further into key markets. The company’s chairman, Kevin Reid, will succeed Joe Moye as Beep’s CEO.
Reid is a longtime technology investor and executive with over two decades of experience building strong companies, teams, and leadership.
Mark Rostick, senior managing director at Intel Capital, says: “Our continued investment in Beep reflects our confidence in their vision for building the next generation of public transit systems that reduce traffic congestion, improve rider safety, and expand accessibility.
“As the company’s longtime chairman, Kevin brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the CEO role and is well-equipped to lead the Jacksonville program and Beep’s future expansion into new communities.”
To date, Beep has managed 38 autonomous shuttle deployments across nine states. As the only vehicle-agnostic company with a history of nationwide deployment success and a focus on autonomous public transit rather than single passenger rides, Beep is uniquely positioned to eliminate congestion by managing, monitoring, and tasking autonomous vehicles more safely and efficiently.
