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School of Engineering and Computer Science

OU bringing autonomous shuttle to campus

Oakland University, as part of the EasyMile collaboration with partners Continental and the City of Auburn Hills, has been selected to host an accessible autonomous shuttle on campus with the latest round of PlanetM Mobility Grant funding from the MEDC.

shuttle, autonomous, SECS, engieneering

icon of a calendarMay 21, 2019

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OU collaboration bringing autonomous shuttle to campus
By participating in this grant-funded collaboration, Oakland University students in the School of Engineering and Computer Science will have a great new learning opportunity.

Oakland University, as part of the EasyMile collaboration with partners Continental and the City of Auburn Hills, has been selected to host an accessible autonomous shuttle on campus with the latest round of PlanetM Mobility Grant funding. EasyMile was awarded $103,600 for the pilot program.

The shuttle works in combination with EasyMile’s fleet management and supervision system, one of the first to be deployed with real-world autonomous vehicles. EasyMile and partner Continental will launch its Zonar technology that will provide more automation and receive digital, real-time vehicle inspections through newly integrated RFID technology. In addition, Oakland University’s School of Engineering and Computer Science students will operate the shuttle as part of a STEM education program.

“Oakland University is very excited about this great new partnership. The EasyMile shuttle will provide our students and our faculty the opportunity to participate in the evolution of autonomous systems and collect valuable data to improve this technology,” said Louay M. Chamra, Ph.D., dean of OU’s School of Engineering and Computer Science.

The EasyMile shuttle, along with program ideas from Bedestrian, Hi-Ho Mobility, NAVENTIK and NAVYA, are the recipients of the second round of PlanetM Mobility Grants and will share more than $440,000 in grant funding awarded in this round.

“Each startup selected offers a thoughtful solution to accessibility and transportation challenges across the state,” said Amanda Roraff, operations manager of PlanetM, the state of Michigan’s mobility-focused brand and business development program. “These startups will have a lasting impact in industries such as healthcare, where patients have identified barriers to mobility, and in higher education, where students have identified challenges to affordable and accessible transportation options.”

To better support all-sized mobility companies, PlanetM is rebranding its grant program, previously titled “PlanetM Startup Grant,” to “PlanetM Mobility Grant.”

“We’re proud to support projects that have a meaningful impact in our communities, and that serve as a model for mobility startups and corporations globally,” said Trevor Pawl, group vice president of PlanetM. “Providing funding – whether to pilot programs and their partners or for testing opportunities – helps new ideas come to fruition, as well as connecting these companies with the state’s ideal ecosystem. The PlanetM Mobility Grant furthers our mission to position Michigan as the global epicenter for mobility deployment, and hopefully encourages other states to help companies test and deploy future mobility solutions in their regions.”

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About the PlanetM Mobility Grants

Separated into two different categories, the PlanetM Mobility Grants encourage mobility startups and corporations to deploy their technologies in Michigan, or prove out their technology at Michigan's state-of-the-art testing facilities. PlanetM partners with NextEnergy to support project management services for each pilot program. NextEnergy works directly with the selected startups and corporations to establish grant agreement terms, outline each statement of work – including objectives, milestones and a timeline – and oversees the implementation of the pilot by serving as the fiduciary to disperse grant and cost-share funding.

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation/PlanetM

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. To learn more about Michigan’s leadership in the revolution in transportation, visit PlanetM.com Michigan has a unique and vast ecosystem that is leading the way in transforming the way people and goods are transported across all modes of transportation.

 

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