Mississippi State University is preparing to introduce an electric-autonomous passenger shuttle system to campus and the community this fall.
With deployment by Beep, Inc., a leading provider of autonomous and electric shared mobility solutions, the system will be the first of its kind in the Magnolia State as well as the Southeastern Conference.
Two shuttles, each seating up to 11 passengers, including an attendant, are slated to be available for riders come September as part of a pilot project to evaluate how the autonomous vehicles complement other modes of campus transportation. Two routes are planned to shuttle students between the core of campus, key housing points, and popular entertainment destinations.
“We are excited to announce this special project which is going through several layers of approval, including the Mississippi Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,” Jeremiah Dumas, MSU executive director of transportation, said. “Safety is the highest priority, as it is with any method of transportation.”
The vehicles will not be allowed to operate on roads signed at more than 25 mph and are equipped with AI-enabled remote human supervision and self-governance. Although they will be self-driving, each shuttle will have a full-time attendant on board.
“This trained staff member can operate the vehicle and assist passengers when needed and serve as an ambassador to provide information. Similar vehicles have been in use at Yellowstone, in the Orlando, Florida metropolitan area, and near the Braves Stadium in Atlanta, at the Honolulu airport and beyond,” Dumas said. “Everywhere they’re deployed, people love them.”
In addition to piloting how the vehicles meet campus needs, the program will also gather information and research data informing transportation planning in rural-urban environments.
The university contracted with Beep this past December and is conducting the development phase of the pilot program this spring, mapping and creating three-dimensional scans of routes in preparation for the fall deployment. The process includes identifying parking and charging locations and determining routes and stop locations. Beep currently uses lidar technology, which utilizes light detection and ranging for precise measurements, to finalize required digital maps.
Beep will provide autonomous mobility solutions, services, and electric vehicles to MSU throughout the tentative pilot period of Sept. 1-Nov. 30.
MSU officials hope this will open the door for the university to partner with other institutions to form a research consortium and expand the study period to further test the use of autonomous vehicles in rural-urban settings.
