Beep, Inc. provided weekly data reports to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte) and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) that included the shuttle’s disengagements from autonomous mode.

This dataset is compiled from Beep, Inc.’s reports for the 23-week pilot period and includes each disengagement event and its reported cause. Two separate data sources provided by Beep, Inc. were used to create this dataset: disengagement reports and Roadside Unit (RSU) reports. The RSU reports documented issues at the signalized intersections on the shuttle's route. Records capturing disengagements that occurred at the signalized intersections that were not included in the disengagement reports are included in this dataset. Please note that there were differing fields between the disengagement reports and the RSU reports, so records originating in the RSU reports have less available information than those originating in the disengagement reports.

The shuttle uses an Automated Driving System (ADS) to operate without a driver on a pre-determined, pre-mapped, fixed route. The system provides conditional automation, meaning that most driving functions and roadway monitoring are automated. The shuttle uses Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), cameras, and Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to know its location, where it is going, and what is happening around it. The shuttle is programmed to automatically disengage from autonomous mode and come to a complete stop when an obstacle is too close or when all required conditions for operation are not met. The system then prompts the attendant to take control until autonomous operation can resume. The attendant can also manually disengage from autonomous mode when deemed necessary.

NCDOT partnered with UNC Charlotte to bring the Connected Autonomous Shuttle Supporting Innovation (CASSI) program to the campus. Please see NCDOT's CASSI webpage for additional information about the program.

Please look to the CASSI_NCDOT_UNC_Charlotte_Open_Data_Portal_Documentation_20240712.pdf file in the Attachments section below for a record of all data cleaning and quality control practices conducted and to the Dataset Schema section for descriptions of the columns present.