JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A year after Germany-based Holon picked Jacksonville as its U.S. site for making autonomous transit shuttles, the company inked an agreement that put the wheels in motion to start construction of the plant next year for manufacturing the first self-driving shuttles made in America.

Holon also announced this week Jacksonville will be the company headquarters for its U.S. operations as Holon seeks to stake a global leadership position in building autonomous transit vehicles loaded with technology for guiding them without needing a driver on board.

"There is pretty much unlimited demand," Holon Chief Financial Officer Clemens Rengier said in an interview at JTA headquarters. "It's up to us now to fill that demand."

The timeline for building the Jacksonville plant is

See Full Page