The American Center for Mobility has officially entered phase one of construction. When completed, the ACM will be a state of the art autonomous vehicle facility for automakers and companies to hone self-driving car capabilities in the state of Michigan.
Michigan broke ground on the facility late last year, but construction has officially commenced with Angelo Iafrate Construction Company overseeing phase one. The first phase of construction includes a 2.5-mile highway loop with on- and off-ramps and a 700-degree curved tunnel. A customer garage and operations center will also be constructed.
The entire first phase is expected to completed and operational by December 2017.
Construction officially begins after the ACM secured an additional $30 million in funding for the process. $110 million is needed to complete the entire project; the ACM says half of the needed funds have been secured and more private investment is expected shortly.
“The American Center for Mobility is attracting worldwide interest from private and public entities that have a need for developing and testing advanced connected and driverless vehicle technologies. We’ve been rapidly crafting this world-class purpose-built facility, with careful consideration of critical features and fidelity to real-world driving conditions,” said John Maddox, president and CEO of the Center.
The ACM will be built on the former General Motors Willow Run plant, which was closed in 1992. Since its closure, it has remained a warehouse facility. However, more exciting developments will displace the warehouse as construction ramps up.
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“700 degree curved tunnel”? A full circle has only 360 degrees.