Florida-based autonomous Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) provider Beep and Local Motors by LM Industries have announced a strategic partnership and new reseller agreement.

Through the collaborative agreement, the companies will seek to significantly expand the number of autonomous shuttles on both public and private roads, which will not only offer more people autonomous transportation options, but also enhance the rider experience through continued testing and safe deployments.

“We're living in a world where self-driving technology is needed now more than ever, and this partnership is a huge validator of the increasing demand for autonomous solutions,” says Vikrant Aggarwal, president of Local Motors.

“By deploying more vehicles and introducing Olli to new, complex scenarios on public and private roads, we can provide safe, sustainable, and comfortable experiences for all riders now and in the future.”

For future customer deployments, Local Motors will supply Beep with its Olli 2.0 autonomous, electric, 3D-printed shuttles under the reseller agreement. The companies will also collaborate to advance and expand the operating domain of multi-passenger, autonomous vehicles in conjunction with their ongoing testing and information sharing program through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). 

Robotic Research’s AutoDrive autonomous kit directs Local Motors’ Olli 2.0 shuttles. The companies note that the kit has proven capabilities for implementation in form factors similar to large configurations such as people mover platforms.

Beep and Local Motors add that the software and hardware technology that enables Olli to drive in complex on-road transportation environments and other low-speed private campuses aligns with Beep's core initiatives in geo-fenced, fixed route environments that service the first-mile and last-mile of mobility.

“Partnering with Local Motors and Robotic Research and leveraging the new Olli 2.0 platform enables Beep to advance our strategy of providing multiple autonomous shuttle options for our client use cases based on their broad range of operational requirements,” explains Joe Moye, CEO of Beep.

“This further advances our ability to deliver safe, efficient mobility services in North America for public and private communities.”