A new town called Babcock Ranch being developed near Fort Myers, Florida, is seeking to introduce an automated shared mobility vehicles program to its community when it opens in 2017.




With the idea of being a “smart community,” the goal of Babcock Ranch is to have 40 automated vehicles in operation in 2017, and 400 by 2021.




The community will look to take advantage of Florida’s laws that allow for autonomous vehicles on the road. Earlier this year, Florida passed a law that now allows for the use of autonomous vehicles on public roads for drivers who have a valid driver license, effectively eliminating the need for a driver to be present in a vehicle while it is being driven.




One of the hopes of Babcock Ranch is that with the shared mobility initiative in place, residents will choose to own only one personal car, and rely on the automated vehicles present within the community to get around. Locals will have the option of going to a variety of places via automated vehicles and shuttles, including athletic facilities, hotels and retail stores. The vehicles will be low speed, most likely 25 mph or below. Babcock Ranch is enlisting the help of automated vehicle developers to help with the technology of the autonomous vehicles that will be used by its residents.




Developed by Kitson & Partners, Babcock Ranch — with its motto of “think big, start small and learn fast” — is intended to be an area that is environmentally friendly, and health and wellness conscious. To fulfill these ideals, new technologies and companies will be introduced to the area to capitalize on Florida’s technological developments as a state. These companies will help with the implantation of services such as an electric vehicle charging infrastructure and a mobile device and communications network.

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