JACKSONVILLE, FL—Benteler Group’s Holon division plans to build a factory here that will assemble autonomous shuttles. When it opens in 2026, the 500,000-square-foot facility will mass-produce battery-powered vehicles that can carry up to 15 passengers and move at a top speed of 37 mph on public roads.

Applications for the driverless pods will include ride pooling, ride hailing and regularly scheduled transit operations. In addition to state and local goverrnments, potential customers are airports, amusement parks and zoos, colleges and universities, healthcare facilities and national parks.