Shift Magazine - December 2020 - 22

last mile
A NEXT-GENERATION
GATEWAY TO THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Beep pilot at Yellowstone is a way AVs can provide experiences, not just mobility

BY PETE BIGELOW

elf-driving
vehicles
should
deliver more than transportation.
They should deliver experiences.
That's the belief of Grayson
Brulte, an innovation strategist and cofounder of Brulte & Co., a mobility advisory company based in Palm Beach, Fla.
Rather than no-frills robotaxi service, he
believes purveyors of autonomous technology should instead focus on providing
premium experiences.
Imagine reserving a vehicle at a hotel
and being carried through a Napa Valley
winery tour - no designated driver
needed. Or imagine taking a self-driving
vehicle to a ballgame where the tailgating
happens on board.
" Self-driving
technology
should
enhance the experience - that's the
Holy Grail, " he said. " You make the transportation not boring. You make it one of
the most interesting parts. "
Such journeys were on Brulte's mind
recently when the National Park Service
unveiled a first-of-its-kind partnership
with Beep, a mobility operator, in which
autonomous shuttles will be deployed
to carry visitors in Yellowstone National
Park next spring.

shift * december 2020

location within millimeters, which would
At least for now, the pilot project is
lend themselves to site-specific educastrictly about transportation: Two autontional programming. Beep's shuttles, on
omous shuttle buses will trundle around
the road in Lake Nona, Fla., are outfitted
the Canyon Village base area, helping to
with video screens for advertising puralleviate congestion while connecting
poses. As the company transitions from
parking areas with popular amenities.
a human safety driver aboard shuttles to
Operationally, these likely will be some
a virtual ambassador in the years ahead,
of the first experiences members of the
such a voice could double as tour guide.
public have with self-driving technology.
All this aligns with a vision for AVs
It's not difficult to consider how the
sketched by Sarah Sandman, an
National Park Service could utiartist with the TED Fellows who
lize such shuttles in the future.
was asked by Lexus to help think
" You take your family out, and
about new autonomous-vehicle
the vehicle itself is teaching you
designs.
about Old Faithful or buffalo or
" One of the most magical
the history of Teddy Roosevelt
moments of travel that I've ever
in the park, " Brulte suggests.
experienced was on the Empire
" The vehicle becomes a mobile
classroom. Think about the Moye: Educational Builder train going cross country, "
element possible
she said of the Amtrak route that
potential of that. You are bringconnects Chicago and Seattle. " There is
ing the classroom to nature. That changes
a glass car. You can swivel and look out
the game. "
to see what's happening in the glorious
To be clear, that's not part of the curworld. "
rent pilot project. But it's a compelling
Autonomous vehicles can enable and
vision of how autonomous vehicles could
enhance these experiences, forging conbe used within the national park system.
nections with the outside world rather
One that Joe Moye, CEO of Beep, says
than cocooning occupants inside. At their
would be a natural evolution of the
best, they may reinforce the old adage
shuttles' human staffing and technical
about travel - getting there is indeed
capabilities.
half the fun. n
He notes the vehicles know their

Shift Magazine - December 2020

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