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Level 4 Autonomous Shuttles to Roll Out in the U.S. in 2024

There seem to be few carmakers left out there not researching autonomous systems one way or another. Even more exciting is that companies not traditionally associated with carmaking are now involved in this, as is a large army of startups created with this exact goal in mind.
Benteler Electric Vehicle Systems, Beep and Mobileye working on autonomous transport shuttle 6 photos
Photo: Mobileye
Benteler Electric Vehicle Systems, Beep and Mobileye working on autonomous transport shuttleBenteler Electric Vehicle Systems, Beep and Mobileye working on autonomous transport shuttleBenteler Electric Vehicle Systems, Beep and Mobileye working on autonomous transport shuttleBenteler Electric Vehicle Systems, Beep and Mobileye working on autonomous transport shuttleBenteler Electric Vehicle Systems, Beep and Mobileye working on autonomous transport shuttle
With so many groups working together for the same goal, it has become painfully obvious that high automation (Level 4 and above) is very hard to implement in passenger cars that are used on a daily basis. But there are branches of the transportation industry, especially those that deal with the movement of people and goods on predetermined routes, that can (and probably will) go autonomous far quicker than passenger cars.

There are a number of projects in the works for these first- and last-mile markets and the newest one was announced on Valentine’s Day by Benteler Electric Vehicle Systems, Beep and Mobileye. The three companies joined forces for the development of ”purpose-built, fully electric, autonomous movers” that could be deployed on North American roads as soon as 2024.

Aimed at the multi-passenger micro-transit industry, the vehicle will be built by Benteler and will use the Mobileye Drive autonomous system, which will make it Level 4 autonomous. Beep will aid with deployment and operations systems, technology and services. At the time of writing, no other technical details about the actual vehicle are known.

“Multipassenger micro-transit needs are ever-increasing in our cities and towns globally and must be addressed in order to reduce road congestion, protect the environment and provide safe, reliable mobility for all to access,” explained Hinrich Woebcken, advisory board member for Beep.

“Bringing to market an affordable, automotive-grade, electric, autonomous mover is a solution that will transform mobility as we know it today.”

The trio of companies doesn’t say when real-world trials of the new vehicle will begin.
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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