ZF AND US MOBILITY PROVIDER BEEP ARE PLANNING TO DELIVER SEVERAL THOUSAND NEW-GENERATION SHUTTLES

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas/Nevada, USA, ZF is presenting the next generation of its shuttle for autonomous driving in urban environments and mixed traffic to the world public. The new generation thus complements the established model, which is primarily designed for use in separate lanes. For the new shuttle generation, ZF announces a strategic partnership with the US mobility service provider Beep, based in Lake Nona, Florida. The agreement covers a planning volume of several thousand Level 4 shuttle vehicles for use in certain areas of the USA. The cooperation combines ZF's ATS with Beep's mobility services.

Unlock Mobility: New shuttle generation celebrates world premiere
The new shuttle is equipped with the latest sensor technology consisting of lidar, radar, camera and noise detection systems, which guarantee precise recognition of the surroundings. In addition, there is further technology such as the ZF ProConnect connectivity platform, which enables communication with the traffic infrastructure and the cloud, as well as the ZF ProAI supercomputer, in which the data in the vehicle converges.

The Virtual Driver – the AD software from ZF – processes this amount of information, uses artificial intelligence to derive safe driving strategies and passes them on to the actuators as input. The Virtual Driver replaces the human driver, making the steering wheel and brake pedal superfluous. The system is designed with redundancies in order to guarantee the full functionality and ability to act of the vehicles. In this way, the Virtual Driver can access the computing power of ProAI and the connectivity services of ProConnect to guarantee smooth and safe navigation at all times. All ZF components and systems are "Automotive Grade" certified, so they meet both the high security and quality requirements of the automotive industry and the applicable cyber security standards.




Flexibility in the foreground
With selectable battery capacities of between 50 and 100 kWh, the next-generation shuttle can travel up to 130 kilometers purely electrically - at a maximum speed of initially 40 km/h and later 80 km/h. The shuttle can accommodate a total of 22 people and up to 15 seats. Customers can individually decide on the layout of seating and standing room and the interior. The vehicle meets the requirements of the "Americans with Disabilities Act" - a US federal law that stipulates equality for people with disabilities - and is accordingly equipped with an automatic ramp, among other things. Thanks to front and rear wheel steering and a kneeling function, the distance to the sidewalk is reduced to a minimum when approaching a stop.

With availability 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, autonomous ZF shuttles can be operated emission-free on defined routes. Public transport operators can thus provide passengers with a mobility offer even when demand is low and at the same time – despite an acute shortage of drivers – expand routes.

New partnership with Beep – ZF industrializes shuttle business
With the US mobility provider Beep, ZF has already found a partner for its new shuttle generation: The agreement covers a planning volume of several thousand Level 4 shuttle vehicles for use in certain areas of the USA.

Based in Lake Nona, Florida, Beep offers customers access to shared mobility services. The company specializes in the planning and deployment of autonomous shuttles and serves customers with services in first and last mile mobility networks in the United States. Beep has been testing autonomous shuttles for more than three years and has accumulated more than 100,000 driving hours. The company operates the largest and longest-established private autonomous mobility network in the United States in Lake Nona, Florida.

www.press.zf.com