Beep

Beep develops software for autonomous shuttles for multi-passenger transportation. Its shuttles are capable of autonomous navigation but require an attendant on board. The company is said to be working toward developing vehicles with Level 4 autonomy (i.e., fully autonomous vehicles limited to specific locations and/or conditions). 

As of February 2024, the company was conducting testing of its autonomous shuttles for both the public and private sectors on public routes in several states, including Florida, California, and Georgia, and had conducted 17 deployments across six states. 

The company specifically emphasizes safety and awareness. Beep has taken part in a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)’s autonomous vehicle test initiative to promote awareness, provide hands-on training to first responders before service deployment, and conduct continuous community education. 

In November 2023, Beep launched “Beep AutonomOS,” a software platform to integrate autonomous mobility services for public transit operators and mobility-as-a-service companies. This is offered on a SaaS basis.

Key customers and partnerships

In February 2022, the company partnered with Intel’s self-driving tech arm Mobileye and German e-mobility systems provider Benteler to build and deploy autonomous shuttles across the US by 2024 and to establish a manufacturing facility in the US for the purpose. Its other product collaborations include partnerships with French self-driving tech developer NAVYA, autonomous driving technology company Robotic Research, automotive supplier ZF, and self-driving software developer Oxa.

Its autonomous shuttles are pitched toward planned communities, campuses, and city centers. Its shuttles were deployed in partnership with parties such as Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT; at Honalulu airport; May 2024), Florida State College at Jacksonville (February 2024), North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDT; at Cary's Fred G. Bond Metro Park in March 2023, and at University of North Carolina at Charlotte in September 2023), Treasure Island, California (August 2023), Cumberland Community Improvement District, Cobb County, Georgia (July 2023), Orlando City Council, Florida (June 2023), Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA; at Ranch business park in San Ramon, California; April 2023), Zoo Miami, Florida (September 2022), Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Florida (March 2022), Mayo Clinic, Florida (for Covid-19 sample delivery; April 2020), Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming (program completed in December 2021), Peachtree Corners, Georgia (October 2021), Lake Nona, Florida (2019; expanded in July 2021), Tradition, Florida (November 2020), and City of Peoria, Arizona (February 2020). The company also has a May 2022 partnership with Israeli mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) provider Moovit to allow the latter’s passengers to hail Beep’s autonomous shuttles in Lake Nona.

Funding and financials

In March 2022, Beep raised USD 25 million in a Series A-1 funding round led by ABS Capital. The company intended to utilize the funds for further product development and to expand its autonomous mobility service deployments. Previously, in May 2021, the company raised USD 20 million in Series A funding, to scale deployments across North America.