STARKVILLE — Driverless shuttles will be the newest way for Mississippi State University students to get to class this fall when an electric, autonomous shuttle system comes to campus.
Partnering with Beep Inc., a autonomous mobility solution company based in Orlando, MSU will launch a pilot project in September, testing out two driverless shuttle buses that will carry passengers to key points on and near the campus.
“Mississippi State is known for its technology,” Thomas Perkins, assistant director of transit services, told The Dispatch. “It made sense for us to jump into this pilot program, and try to figure out if that can be done in more of a rural setting as opposed to a major metropolitan area.”
Each shuttle will seat up to 11 passengers, including one attendant who will be able to drive the vehicle in case of emergencies, Perkins said.
The program is currently in a development phase in which two routes are being mapped out using three-dimensional scans, light detection and ranging for precise measurements. The shuttles, equipped with AI-enabled remote human supervision, will run on a schedule, similar to the Starkville-MSU Area Rapid Transit (SMART) bus system on campus.
Each shuttle is also equipped with an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant, manually deployable ramp, according to Beep Inc.’s website.
Perkins said the routes will likely be short to start, for example, taking passengers from The Mill on Russell Street to the campus Barnes and Noble. The shorter routes will make it easier to evaluate aspects like safety, he said.
“We’re not going to do anything to put the people that ride on it at risk,” he said. “Our No. 1 thing on our side is safety above everything else. We’re going to make sure that we’re doing our due diligence … to make sure it’s as safe as it can be.”
When the shuttles are introduced in September, they will only have access to roads with a 25 mph speed limit or less.
The pilot program will also consider how well the shuttles work in conjunction with the SMART system on campus, Perkins said. He hopes the driverless shuttles can help address some of the issues with the current system.
“The challenge (there) is that we just have a shortage of drivers,” he said. “Getting parts for buses is still a challenge.”
Beep Inc. has launched similar pilot programs at other college campuses, including the University of North Carolina Charlotte campus. The MSU program will be the first of its kind in the state and in the Southeastern Conference.
The program will run from September to November. As for whether the shuttles will become permanent on campus, Perkins said there’s potential depending on the results of the pilot program.
“A lot will depend on the results, and where the study goes,” he said. “And maybe it’s something that once we figure out how to do it, it becomes a permanent fixture.”
McRae is a general assignment and education reporter for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 24 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 24 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
