Peachtree Corners has confirmed a fleet of autonomous shuttles connected on T-Mobile's 5G network will operate on the Technology Parkway – Curiosity Lab route this autumn.
Peachtree says the importance of advanced 5G is taking centre stage with Cellular Vehicle to Everything now a reality in the Georgia city.
The shuttles – implemented by autonomous mobility provider Beep – are equipped with a 5G gateway to power telematics data and enable interaction with 5G connected infrastructure along the ITS corridor.
The PAUL (Piloting Autonomous Use Locally) service will also be able to employ various emerging technologies connected over T-Mobile's network, such as intersections with video analytics to provide real-time data, cameras in the shuttles, roadside units and onboard units.
Dave Bezzant, vice president, T-Mobile for Government, says: "The vision of 5G powering the city street of the future is happening now at Peachtree Corners where people, vehicles and infrastructure all communicate with each other to elevate safety and improve everyday life. Today, Beep's autonomous shuttles allow all parties to accelerate the development of solutions leveraging our 5G network such as vehicle operation management for vehicle health monitoring, safety features including real-time alerts and in-vehicle entertainment."
Brian Johnson, city manager of Peachtree Corners, says: “This deployment not only allows for the continued development and deployment of safe, enjoyable and eco-friendly transportation options – but it also allows a true Mobility as a Service pioneer like Beep to leverage our city-owned V2X infrastructure and vibrant ecosystem to help accelerate new technology development that further enhances safety and earns critical trust from the public.”
As part of the project, the Beep Command Center is expected to add a critical layer of safety by allowing staff to intervene and react to emergency situations.
Additionally, cloud provider OVHcloud is to deliver compute, storage and other cloud platform resources. This will allow the city and select technology partners to manage, analyse, gain critical insights and make informed decisions from the data generated from the autonomous vehicles and sensors across connected infrastructure.
PAUL consists of autonomous electric vehicles from manufacturers Navya and Local Motors, which produces a 3D-printed autonomous vehicle called Olli.
The shuttles will cover seven stops along the route, including Hampton Inn, City Hall, City Hall (South), Technology Parkway (South), Innovation Center and Research Drive Anderby.
