Posted September 18, 2020

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Sept., 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) welcomed its newest autonomous vehicle into the JTA Test & Learn program with the Olli 2.0 from Beep, Local Motors by LM Industries and Robotic Research LLC.

The Olli 2.0 was delivered to Jacksonville in late August through a partnership with Beep, a Florida-based autonomous Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) provider, Local Motors by LM Industries, the world's first and only digital vehicle manufacture, and Robotic Research LLC, one of the world's leading connected, autonomous technology providers. This is Local Motor's first electric, autonomous, 3D-printed shuttle to be built in the United States. It will lead the next phase of the JTA's Test & Learn activities at Florida State College at Jacksonville's Cecil Center Campus and the JTA's Armsdale Test & Learn facilities.

This is the fifth autonomous vehicle the JTA has tested since it launched its Ultimate Urban Circulator program in 2017. The U2C program will transform and modernize the existing Skyway APM system in Downtown Jacksonville to support autonomous vehicles and related technologies. The multi-phase program includes the full conversion of the existing Skyway infrastructure and neighborhood expansions through ground-level connections, creating a 10-mile urban transit network.

"When we first announced our plan to retire the Skyway trains and replace them with autonomous vehicles, the JTA set the goal to keep up with the latest advancements. Receiving the first Olli 2.0 shuttle in the United States is proof of that commitment," said JTA Chief Executive Officer, Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. "The delivery of the Olli 2.0 at our Test & Learn track marks the next step in shaping the future of public transportation– not just in Jacksonville, but nationally."

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