The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) has announced the groundbreaking of the Autonomous Innovation Center (AIC). This new facility will serve as a command-and-control center that will store, service, monitor, and maintain the Florida city’s electric autonomous mobility system. The project is being done in partnership with Balfour Beatty’s Vision 2 Reality team. That team includes Beep, Inc., which builds autonomous electric mobility systems. The AIC is part of a longer-term plan called the Ultimate Urban Circulator that will eventually introduce autonomous vehicles (AVs) into Jacksonville’s transportation system.

Balfour Beatty will build the two-story AIC on an existing parking lot with a secure perimeter. The facility’s top floor will feature the command-and-control center. The first floor includes maintenance bays for vehicle service and covered AV parking with charging stations.

“Balfour Beatty has assembled a team of experts and partners with specialized capabilities to support JTA’s U2C program components,” said Dave Campbell, Balfour Beatty operations director in Florida, in a press release. “With our expertise in design-build projects, Balfour Beatty will lead the V2R team in successfully delivering the state-of-the-art AIC which is the gateway to making this transformative transportation solution a reality. We look forward to working with our industry partners, our client and the community in providing a modernized, innovative and sustainable transit system in LaVilla.”

Beep is taking the lead in designing the command-and-control center with an eye toward safety, sustainability, and efficiency. “The introduction of the AIC is a major milestone for this industry-leading program and a reflection of how the JTA, Beep, and entire U2C team are revolutionizing the integration and management of autonomous mobility networks in our communities,” said Beep CEO Joe Moye in a press release. “Beep’s initial autonomous vehicles on the BSIC will be supervised and monitored through the AIC’s command-and-control operation, serving as a blueprint for providing a safe and reliable transportation solution for Jacksonville residents and visitors. In addition, the command center is designed for scale, enabling the orchestration of future mobility networks with over 100 vehicles to connect key areas of the city, such as Brooklyn, Springfield, San Marco, and Riverside. We join the community in celebrating the future of transportation right here in Jacksonville.”