ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- An autonomous shuttle will soon begin operating at the University of Virginia’s discovery park, North Fork.

Perrone Robotics announced a contract with the UVA Foundation to provide a free circulator shuttle service at the facility on Thursday.

According to a release, a variety of vehicles will be deployed to service the more than 560 acres of mixed-use land north of Charlottesville.

The shuttle will be following a fixed operating schedule, transporting employees and visitors between the office and laboratory buildings as well as providing access to other amenities offered at the facility.

Throughout next year, this service will be expanded to support passengers and goods delivery.

“The UVA Foundation has a history of fostering innovation and technology at its site and being open to new ideas,” said Nicholas Pilipowskyj, VP of Business Operations for Perrone. “By collaborating with us, the Foundation has given us a wonderful opportunity to show a wider group of people the great things our autonomous system is capable of. It also allows us to test and gather feedback on new features and vehicle platforms we will be rolling out to the public over the next 12 months.”

“We repeatedly seek new and unconventional ways to catalyze research and business collaboration between industry and the University,” said Deborah van Eersel, Chief Administrative Officer and Director of Marketing at the UVA Foundation. “We are delighted to partner with Perrone Robotics by providing room for them to grow and innovate while also meeting the needs of our larger community through a new amenity offering. We support efforts to enhance transit and accessibility for our tenants and visitors alike. As North Fork continues to grow, this partnership can help to create a more open and connected community.”