Atlanta Launches Pilot Program For New Autonomous Public Transit Service

ATLANTA — A new autonomous public transportation pilot has officially launched in Atlanta.

The ATL Spoke service, announced Wednesday by Beep Inc., is now open to the public through a partnership with Atlanta Beltline Inc. and several transportation partners.

The pilot is being funded by the Georgia Transportation Efficiency Authority and will evaluate whether autonomous transit can provide a flexible and cost-effective option for neighborhood circulation while complementing existing public transportation services.

While firms like Waymo already have a presence in the Atlanta metro, company and local leaders say the new venture marks what the first autonomous public transportation service operating within the city.

The 12-month pilot is designed to address so-called "first-mile, last-mile" transportation challenges by helping riders connect between neighborhoods and existing transit options, including those operated by Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority.

"ATL Spoke showcases the way innovative thinking can solve for the first-mile, last-mile connectivity challenges," Atlanta Beltline President and CEO Clyde Higgs said in a statement.

Organizers said the program utilizes four autonomous electric minibuses manufactured by Karsan and equipped with autonomous driving technology developed by ADASTEC.

The vehicles will operate using ADASTEC's SAE Level 4 autonomous driving platform, which is designed to allow the buses to drive themselves under defined operating conditions without human intervention.

Officials also said the service is managed through Beep's AutonomOS platform, which oversees vehicle operations, fleet management and transit coordination from a centralized operations center.

Beep President and Chief Operating Officer Clayton Tino said Atlanta provides an ideal environment to demonstrate how autonomous transportation can improve mobility and connectivity in urban areas.

"Individual [autonomous vehicles] can safely drive themselves, but there is still a need for coordinated operation and supervision," Tino said. "Our AutonomOS platform fills this gap by enabling operators to manage automated transit networks through a single pane of glass, incorporating AVs into existing modes in complex service areas."

ADASTEC CEO Ali Peker said the Atlanta deployment is notable because it intends to demonstrate how multiple autonomous vehicles can operate together as part of a coordinated public transit network rather than as standalone pilot projects.

"With four Autonomous e-JEST vehicles operating in the same deployment, the project highlights the scalability of automated transit in a complex urban environment," Peker said.

The pilot program is expected to run for one year, with officials collecting data on ridership, performance and the effectiveness of autonomous transit in serving local transportation needs