Autonomous Vehicle Development in Michigan
Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are the transportation of the future, promising mobility like the world has never seen. The development of this technology is still underway, and a finished product is years-to-decades away. Michigan should fight to be the leader of AV development. With an economy centered around the automotive industry, the state stands a lot to gain, as well as a lot to lose, when the AV technology sector finally settles down. Current attempts to attract AV development focus on the regulatory field, but with more and more state competition, Michigan needs to focus on other improvements that can transform the state into a haven for autonomous technology. While there are endless options for economic development policies, it would be in Michigan’s best interest at the state level to continue utilizing public testing facilities and focusing on workforce development. Perhaps more importantly, though, local governments must prepare for the new, advanced fleet of vehicles through infrastructure improvements.