Navya and Beep have signed a contract that will see Beep buying eight of Navya's autonomous shuttles. The order will reportedly significantly increase Beep's fleet size and bring the total number of Navya self-driving shuttle operated to 22 vehicles.
The order is significant in that it marks a period of scale-up for Beep with increasing calls for tender around self-driving shuttles in the US. The eight new Navya vehicles will enable the Beep to extend its reach and accelerate its growth as it continues to expand deployments across the country. This will allow for new first-mile/last-mile services and projects in a range of use cases, including planned communities, city centers, universities and airports.
"Autonomous shuttle transit offers many advantages and we continue to see an upswing in demand in the US. Our Navya shuttles have been a key enabler of establishing Beep as a market leader over the last three years for testing these platforms on US public roadways," explained Joe Moye, Beep CEO. "Our partnership has encompassed successful pilots and deployments across the United States and we continue to grow our vehicle fleet to service new customers and expand deployments in existing locations. We are pleased to extend our relationship with Navya with this latest agreement as we continue to deliver on the promise of safer roads, reduced carbon emissions and mobility for all."
Beep has autonomous vehicle programs deployed in several locations including, Florida, Arizona and Georgia. The additional vehicles will enable the Lake Nona, Florida-based company to meet the growing demand in the US for autonomous transportation solutions that respond in a practical, flexible and cost-effective way to the challenges not only in the areas of mobility and sustainable development, but also in terms of safety and staffing shortages.
"This new order confirms that the US market is growing rapidly and that the demand in terms of volumes is keeping pace. Because self-driving shuttles can adapt to the numerous societal, economic and ecological challenges we are facing, they are becoming a must-have addition to any project involving last-mile mobility. The upswing in demand in the US is a pointer to the future development of self-driving shuttles on other continents," said Navya CEO Sophie Desormière.
