The race to develop driverless vehicle technology entered a new phase today as the UK joined forces with the USA to accelerate connected and autonomous vehicles (CAV) development.
Rick Snyder, the Governor of the State of Michigan and Richard Harrington MP, Minister for Business and Industry signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation and promote sustainable growth and support innovation.
Speaking at the signing, Dr Daniel Ruiz, CEO of Meridian said
‘Meridian Mobility is the gateway to accelerated CAV testing and development in the UK for organisations worldwide. Today’s agreement demonstrates our commitment to a collaborative approach as we unlock the benefits of this technology.
‘We’re delighted to be working with the team at Michigan as we develop the ecosystem of collaborative organisations, integrated infrastructure and funding to promote the UK capabilities.
‘Areas of common interest include skills, standards and data management which provide an opportunity to find efficient and effective solutions that will bring benefit to everyone involved in the development of CAV technology.’
The MoU provides a framework for Michigan and the UK to work together sharing knowledge experience and opportunities around technology, regulation, policy and business development.
Meridian Mobility will work with the State of Michigan on a joint taskforce to strengthen technology clusters and support the enterprises around them. In practical terms, this connects the UK’s advanced CAV testing and development facilities funded through Meridian, and the 70+ leading edge UK CAV projects with Michigan’s leading facilities including the Willow Run and Mcity.
The MoU between the UK and the State of Michigan is the first of a number of international agreements reflecting the stated ambition of Meridian to create a global forum to accelerate the development of CAV technology.