A brand new city is being created at the University of Michigan to test self-driving and connected cars, along with other new transportation technologies in the future.
M City is a 32-acre facility that will be located on the University of Michigan's North Campus and will include sidewalks, roundabouts, intersections and traffic signs. Simulated pedestrians, cars, buildings and other obstacles will put the vehicle systems to the test, according to a university release.
"Connected and automated vehicle technology will usher in a revolution in the mobility of people and goods comparable to that sparked by the introduction of the automobile a century ago," said Peter Sweatman, director of the university's Mobility Transformation Center, in a statement. "M City will allow us to rigorously test new approaches in a safe, controlled and realistic environment before we implement them on actual streets."
Roadway construction was finalized back in December and the facility should be completely operational in a couple months. A formal opening has been set by the university for this July.
Back in 2013, Michigan became the fourth state in America to approve the testing of autonomous vehicles on its roads. Others currently include Florida, California and Nevada.
The company behind the project, Mobility Transformation Center, is a partnership between the industry and government to help create a commercially viable system of connected and automated transportation.
Their main goal of the project is to create a system on the streets of southeastern Michigan no later than 2021, according to the press release.
MTC is also working on deploying 20,000 trucks, cars and buses on southeastern Michigan to evaluate consumer behavior and explore "market opportunities."
Connected vehicles are being designed with the intention of warning drivers of traffic tie-ups or emerging dangerous situations, like slippery roads or an upcoming curve, or if a car might run a red light ahead.
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