LANSING, Mich. – Already a leader in national policy efforts surrounding the development and deployment of connected and autonomous vehicles, Michigan planted another flag firmly in the mobility space today when the Council on Future Mobility presented its latest report to Gov. Rick Snyder.

The comprehensive public-policy blueprint promotes the development and application of technologies associated with autonomous, automated, and connected vehicles. The report from the state’s advisory committee effectively aims to cultivate the legal, economic and regulatory ecosystem to facilitate and support the transformation of mobility across all modes of transportation in the state.

“I have been travelling nationally and internationally to promote Michigan as a leader in automotive design and manufacturing with the technical expertise to usher in the next era of transportation,” Snyder said. “These public policy recommendations provide a rigorous framework and practical methods to address the many forms of mobility that are rapidly becoming a reality. Many of the issues contained in the report are the same as those that come up in discussions when I travel to promote Michigan as the mobility capital of the world, and this input helps to answer those questions and show that we are staying at the forefront of all things mobility.”

Snyder was joined at the roundtable discussion today by Council co-chairs Kirk Steudle and John Peracchio, as well as members Emily Frascaroli of Ford Motor Company and Amy Mass of The Hanover Insurance Group.

As a comprehensive framework that promotes private sector-public sector collaboration, the recommendations can serve as a template for other states and countries, Snyder added. Key recommendations within the Michigan Council on Future Mobility’s report include:

  • Educating itself and policymakers on future mobility, from needs to solutions, for all modes of transportation.
  • Connecting the public and private sectors to foster innovation and practical advances in mobility.
  • Creating an educational, professional and personal environment that attracts and retains desirable talent to serve and strengthen the transportation industry.
  • Engaging local communities and partners to promote and advance personal mobility.
  • Promoting equitable access to future mobility options, especially for those who are economically disadvantaged, persons with disabilities, and seniors.
  • Identifying opportunities to develop and brand Michigan as the epicenter of mobility technology and policy development.
  • Ensuring effective cyber security standards for safe and efficient transportation.
  • Addressing and evaluating implications for risk management, insurance and product liability laws.
  • Assessing the need for structural improvements to public and private infrastructure to facilitate deployment of new technologies that enhance personal mobility across all modes of transportation.
  • Displaying national thought leadership by analyzing the impact of autonomous/highly automated vehicles and potential, required changes to the Michigan Vehicle and Insurance codes, and the practical impact of such changes on law enforcement.

“With the launch of PlanetM, we showed the world that Michigan was at the forefront in coordinating public and private business attraction and technical collaborations, said Michigan Department of Transportation Director Kirk Steudle, who is a member of the mobility council. “Today, we’re once again demonstrating that Michigan has an unparalleled collaboration between the public and private sectors.”

PlanetM is a partnership of mobility organizations, communities, educational institutions, research and development, and government agencies that are working together to develop and deploy the mobility technologies driving the future.

Over the past several years, Michigan has gained popular and critical acclaim for its mobility initiatives, including for its high-level participation at the ITS World Congress in Montreal last October, and as host for the ITS America Annual Meeting in Detroit in June 2018.

Future recommendations under consideration by the Michigan Council on Future Mobility, include cybersecurity protections, as well as the impact on autonomous vehicles on the management of risk and liability. Specific cybersecurity protections under consideration include protecting information from unauthorized disclosure, securing data sharing, and expanding cybersecurity research.

View the Michigan Council on Future Mobility’s report.