T-Mobile has announced a new partnership with Miller Electric Company to use a 5G private network to connect a fleet of autonomous vehicles that will run along the waterfront and urban core of Jacksonville, a city in north-eastern Florida, as part of the city’s Ultimate Urban Circular program.
Miller Electric will use the 5G private network provided by T-Mobile’s Advanced Network Solutions to support the operations of new fully autonomous, bus-shaped, shuttles that will transport visitors along a three-mile stretch from EverBank Stadium to Jacksonville’s new waterfront hub.
The 5G private network at the core of this partnership will deliver secure, reliable, two-way communications between the shuttles and the command center. Within these communications, real-time telemetry data from onboard sensors is shared as well as audio and video feeds that connect employees with passengers.
In joining its previously-planned power and fiber solutions, T-Mobile’s 5G infrastructure will support the rest of the waterfront project. This will, at the same time, allow the telecoms provider to deliver the network performance and security Miller Electric requires for the AVs into the future without any additional infrastructure.
The autonomous shuttles are expected to begin operations from mid 2025, and represent the first phase of the city’s planned Ultimate Urban Circulator. This initial phase lays the foundation for the expansion of automated shuttles, connecting them to adjoining neighborhoods.
