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April 17, 2025

Jacksonville, FL – Today, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) is one step closer to introducing autonomous vehicles in Northeast Florida with the ribbon cutting of its Autonomous Innovation Center (AIC) and unveiling of the autonomous vehicle (AV) service name, NAVI.  

NAVI, which stands for Neighborhood Autonomous Vehicle Innovation, will operate from the AIC at 650 W. Bay Street in LaVilla. The AIC serves as the command center facility to store, service, monitor, and maintain Jacksonville’s autonomous mobility fleet, which launches this summer with NAVI servicing the first phase of the Ultimate Urban Circulator (U²C).

Guests at the April 17 ribbon cutting got an up-close look at the AV, which features an outline of the Jacksonville skyline, representing how this new service will connect the urban core with surrounding neighborhoods to play a vital role in downtown revitalization. The 3.5-mile route connects key parts of Downtown Jacksonville, from the Central Business Core to the Sports & Entertainment District, integrating autonomous vehicles into the mix.

“The JTA’s AV program will be the first-of-its-kind, fully autonomous public transportation system network in the United States,” said JTA CEO Nat Ford. “The opening of the AIC is one of the final milestones before introducing NAVI to our transportation system. This state-of-the-art facility lays a strong foundation for the operation of the AV fleet and supports the vision of a better-connected, vibrant Downtown Jacksonville.”

In addition to the AIC’s cutting-edge infrastructure, including maintenance bays, charging stations, and an elevated observation deck—it is equipped with a full-scale command center, featuring a massive display that brings the unified Bay Street Innovation Corridor (BSIC) service interface to life. From live monitoring of national operations to simulations that demonstrate the system’s reliability, scalability, and real-time responsiveness, the AIC showcases what it takes to manage a modern autonomous transit system.

The two-story 18,798-square-foot facility features maintenance bays for vehicle service, covered AV parking with charging stations, as well as an open terrace with a viewing area overlooking vehicles arriving and departing the facility. The facility will also ultimately contain 129 rooftop solar panels with 100% of the electrical power demand for the building offset with its microgrid.

It was built by the Balfour Beatty Vision 2 Reality (V2R) team, alongside project partners Beep, Superior Construction Company Southeast, WGI, Inc., Urban SDK, Miller Electric and Grayline.

"We are excited to bring this innovative project to life by introducing cutting-edge technology and infrastructure in Jacksonville. The V2R team's outstanding collaboration and expertise have delivered not just a hub of innovation, but also pioneering achievements in AV installation, cybersecurity integration, and data management systems, including over three miles of Intelligent Corridor Construction. Both the facility and our operational excellence approach will serve as models for cities across the country looking to develop similar solutions for years to come," said Dave Campbell, Balfour Beatty operations director in Florida.

Read more from JTA's press release.