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Automakers are willing to invest great sums of money in the development of autonomous cars, and so is the Government, that’s why a battle between two States is waging on for the opportunity to test this technology on its territory.
It’s not just pride and glory that the sunny California and the Great Lakes state are fighting for: it’s also the $4 billion in federal funding that needs to be considered. But how do you choose between the two, especially since they are so very different?
Well, Michigan is making a strong case for itself by saying that California “is not the real world,” a statement that its inhabitants would normally take as a compliment, but one that severely dents its chances of becoming a self-driving car haven.
Currently, both Michigan and California are offering vast WWII decrepit military sites to be transformed into proving grounds for the autonomous vehicles. Michigan, in particular, is proposing a 330-acre (134-hectares) old plant near Ypsilanti that used to assemble B-24 bombers during the Second World Conflagration, while California is putting a closed-down Navy base in Concord on the plate.
The two have plenty in common, but they also differ in a very important aspect: the site in Michigan would allow the automakers to see how their robotic cars fare during all four seasons, as opposed to the “it never rains in Southern California.” And this cycle between high and low temperatures brings another strong argument in Michigan’s favor: it’s one of the main reasons behind the appearance of potholes. If you want to test a car that will be used all over the world, you need to prepare it for potholes.
Of course, California could “build” roads with potholes in them, but it definitely can’t make it snow, and since erecting different test sites for different seasons wouldn’t really make much sense when you can have it all in one place, logic tells you that Michigan’s Willow Run should be the first choice. On the other hand, California is the home of Silicon Valley, the place where all the country’s technology firms are concentrated. The test site would be a mere 40 miles away, which could bring some logistical advantages.
The jury is out on this one at the moment, so both sides are trying to make a convincing case for themselves in Congress. Randy Iwasaki, executive director of the Contra Costa Transportation Authority - the group that oversees the California site called GoMentum Station - summed it up for Bloomberg: “May the best organization win.”
Well, Michigan is making a strong case for itself by saying that California “is not the real world,” a statement that its inhabitants would normally take as a compliment, but one that severely dents its chances of becoming a self-driving car haven.
Currently, both Michigan and California are offering vast WWII decrepit military sites to be transformed into proving grounds for the autonomous vehicles. Michigan, in particular, is proposing a 330-acre (134-hectares) old plant near Ypsilanti that used to assemble B-24 bombers during the Second World Conflagration, while California is putting a closed-down Navy base in Concord on the plate.
The two have plenty in common, but they also differ in a very important aspect: the site in Michigan would allow the automakers to see how their robotic cars fare during all four seasons, as opposed to the “it never rains in Southern California.” And this cycle between high and low temperatures brings another strong argument in Michigan’s favor: it’s one of the main reasons behind the appearance of potholes. If you want to test a car that will be used all over the world, you need to prepare it for potholes.
Of course, California could “build” roads with potholes in them, but it definitely can’t make it snow, and since erecting different test sites for different seasons wouldn’t really make much sense when you can have it all in one place, logic tells you that Michigan’s Willow Run should be the first choice. On the other hand, California is the home of Silicon Valley, the place where all the country’s technology firms are concentrated. The test site would be a mere 40 miles away, which could bring some logistical advantages.
The jury is out on this one at the moment, so both sides are trying to make a convincing case for themselves in Congress. Randy Iwasaki, executive director of the Contra Costa Transportation Authority - the group that oversees the California site called GoMentum Station - summed it up for Bloomberg: “May the best organization win.”
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