The University of Michigan receives a $5 million grant to further develop VR software for autonomous driving testing.
The test track for autonomous vehicles University of Michigan received a $5 million federal grant to develop virtual reality software that allows testing from anywhere.
In 2015, the University of Michigan was one of the first institutions to build a test track with a facade city: the Mcity. There are different driving challenges such as an overpass, crash barriers, ramps, roundabouts or urban streets. The network is equipped with WLAN or 5G or fiber optics.
Overall, the university was intensively involved in the development of autonomous driving. The VR test track will also be connected to Mcity. Mcity received the latest funding from the National Science Foundation, which will expand the facility’s capabilities well beyond the 80-acre campus proving ground. The money is used for the digital infrastructure, specifically for the real-time data. The Foundation can reserve the test site for itself for 48 days a year. Otherwise use mainly ford, Toyota and denso the mcity.
In this way you build a digital twin of the track, where you can see the real-time data and run or influence the tests remotely. This measure is particularly interesting for companies and research institutions that do not have so many resources.
You can control a Lincoln MKZ, which is provided as an available vehicle. The vehicle will be joined by two more Kia Souls in the coming months.