Peters Celebrates University of Michigan Mcity Connected Vehicle Test Environment Grand Opening
ANN ARBOR, MI – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today attended the grand opening of the University of Michigan’s Mcity test facility for connected and autonomous vehicles, where he spoke about the importance of promoting and developing advanced vehicle technologies in Michigan. Mcity is a 32-acre real-world test environment operated by the University of Michigan’s Mobility Transformation Center that includes a network of roads with intersections, traffic signals and signs, streetlights, sidewalks and construction barriers to test vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) technologies.
“Michigan has always been a leader in the automotive industry, and Mcity will ensure Michigan is at the forefront of new vehicle innovations for decades to come,” said Senator Peters. “We must continue promoting the development of advanced vehicle technologies like V2V and V2I that are the next frontier of the auto industry. I’m honored to help celebrate the grand opening of the Mcity test environment that will provide a real-world example of these revolutionary technologies to improve transportation and save thousands of lives.”
V2V and V2I technologies include wireless exchanges of operational and critical safety information between connected vehicles and infrastructure to help improve fuel efficiency, relieve traffic congestion and prevent collisions. According to a 2013 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 32,000 people are killed in motor vehicle accidents on American roads every year. NHTSA found that V2V and V2I communication technologies have the potential to eliminate up to 80 percent of vehicle accidents involving non-impaired drivers once they are fully deployed.
Peters was joined at the grand opening by the Mobility Transformation Center Director Dr. Peter Sweatman, Michigan Department of Transportation Director Kirk Steudle, University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel, Board of Regents Chair Shauna Ryder Diggs and Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor, as well as by his Congressional colleagues Senator Debbie Stabenow and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell.
Peters, a member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, strongly supports advanced vehicle technologies. He recently introduced legislation to promote the development and implementation of V2V and V2I technologies, including the bipartisan Vehicle-to-Infrastructure Safety Technology Investment Flexibility Act of 2015, which would allow states to use existing federal highway and surface transportation funds to invest in V2I communications technology. Peters also introduced the Vehicle Innovation Act to promote investments in research and development of V2X technologies to improve vehicle safety and efficiency. Additionally, Peters recently worked with Republican Senator Cory Gardner (CO) to create the bipartisan Senate Smart Transportation Caucus, which focuses on policies that will ensure American manufacturers continue to lead the development of transformative vehicle technologies.
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