For the past century or more, Michigan's automotive sector has played a key role in our state's prosperity. It's brought us great jobs and a place at the center of a world economy. 

 

Now we stand on the brink of a transformation. The world is changing incredibly fast and the way people get from point A to point B is changing too. Technology is driving connected and autonomous vehicle  advancements and new mobility solutions that are re-imagining the way people and goods travel. This presents both an opportunity and a threat for MI.Our state is uniquely poised to capitalize on the future because of our auto expertise and great concentration of R&D, engineers and manufacturing.  But we need to take full advantage of these strengths to ensure that the developments in the mobility sector happen here at home. That's our opportunity - to leverage this disruption to attract and grow more businesses and jobs. 

 

A lot of good things are happening right now to seize our opportunity. MICHauto, the nation's largest state-based automotive association, is aggressively working to grow the sector. Connected vehicle highways run through much of southeast MI. A state automotive office has been established. Mcity has been opened in Ann Arbor to test connected vehicles.  In the next year or two, the American Center for Mobility will open at Willow Run Airport, providing the largest connected vehicle validation and certification facility in the world.  

 

Why? Because MI understands an opportunity when we see it - an opportunity to become the Global Center of Mobility.