Michigan, USA to Convert Existing Roads into 'Dedicated Lanes for Autonomous Vehicles'

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] The state of Michigan in the United States has decided to convert two roads on the outskirts of Detroit into dedicated lanes for autonomous vehicles. The project involves Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners (SIP), a company invested in by Ford Motor Company and Alphabet, Google's parent company.

According to CNN on the 13th (local time), Michigan announced plans to operate dedicated autonomous vehicle lanes on Interstate 94 between Detroit and Ann Arbor, as well as on Michigan Avenue. These autonomous vehicle lanes will be equipped with sensors and cameras, and separate barriers will be installed to prevent pedestrians and bicycles from entering.

Initially, autonomous vehicles will undergo pilot operations on existing roads between Detroit and Ann Arbor within six months. Over the next two years, a pilot program for dedicated autonomous vehicle lanes will be conducted on certain sections, with plans to eventually expand up to 40 miles (approximately 64 km).

SIP established an affiliate company called "Cavnue" for this project. Ford, General Motors (GM), BMW, Honda, and Toyota are expected to serve as advisors to Cavnue. Jonathan Weiner, co-founder of SIP, stated that if traffic conditions such as congestion do not improve during the initial test runs, the project may not proceed further. Weiner also explained that similar projects are being considered across the United States beyond Michigan.

Trevor Paul, director of Michigan state in charge of this project, said, "We believe this is a transformative project for Michigan and also for the world," mentioning that there have been 10,000 serious car accidents in Michigan over the past decade, and expressing hope that this project will improve safety.