Subaru invests $2M at driverless test track
Subaru of America is the latest contributor to the American Center for Mobility, the 500-acre driverless-car proving ground on the site of Ypsilanti’s historic Willow Run bomber plant.
The Japanese carmaker will invest $2 million at the test center, leaders of the test facility announced Tuesday at the Detroit auto show. AT&T, Visteon Corp., Toyota Motor North America, Ford Motor Co. and Hyundai America Technical Center Inc. are other investors in the center.
The American Center for Mobility to date has secured $110 million to construct the first phase of the $135 million facility. Construction on the next phase is slated to begin this spring and will feature an urban driving environment, followed by headquarters and tech park.
The driverless car proving ground is being developed as a national hub for mobility development, and is equipped for almost any testing circumstance. It includes a 21/2-mile highway loop, a 700-foot curved tunnel, two double overpasses, intersections and roundabouts. It’s situated in one of the tougher climates in the country, allowing autonomous technology developers — from automakers to telecommunication companies — to test their technology in snow and ice.
Subaru was at the center for training last week and plans to test on the track later this week. Hyundai and Ford are also scheduling time at the center.