A complex facility in Michigan is set to test the safety and reliability of driverless cars of the future, with hyper-realistic settings and accurate recreations.
A one-of-a-kind facility could soon become the breeding ground for driverless cars of the future. Mcity, designed by the University of Michigan (U-M), is a realistic off-roadway environment that tests the potential of connected and automated vehicles. Covering 32 acres (13ha) of the university’s North Campus Research Complex, the project cost $10m (£6.5m) and has recreations of most urban features: street crossings, traffic lights and pedestrianised areas.
Working with the Michigan Department of Transportation, the U-M sees the build as an essential step before many highly automated vehicles can be unleashed onto public roads. Mcity is hyper-realistic , with intersections, building facades, street names, signs, railway crossings and even benches. The project opened in July and is supported by the US government, motor industry, and the university.
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