According to the Detroit News, the American Center for Mobility (ACM) expects the Willow Run facility in Michigan to be ready for testing autonomous cars by December, after construction for the nonprofit operation began in June.

Test tracks at the facility could be available for use by December 1, giving automakers, Tier One suppliers and technology companies a place to test their autonomous vehicle technologies.

According to ACM president and CEO John Maddox, the ACM is hoping to follow in the footsteps of the people who originally built Willow Run, which is known for once having “pushed the boundaries of technology for airplanes,” as it was previously Henry Ford’s home for airplane manufacturing during World War II, and later became a powertrain plant for General Motors.

“It’s pretty amazing to think about it – that this whole place was built in 18 months ... conceived, designed and outfitted ... the first modern airport in the United States...,” Maddox says when describing the wartime sprint to build the manufacturing complex.

“We’re trying to channel some of that speed. ...”

It is estimated that the price tag for this project is $110 million. $90 million of that total has been secured according to ACM officials, with a majority of that money coming from Michigan Economic Development Corp. support.

When the facility is ready for use, one of the first companies to utilize it will be Toyota Motor North America. In July, Toyota Motor North America and its Research and Development Center in nearby Ann Arbor agreed to a partnership with ACM, which will result in a $5 million commitment from Toyota.

In July, Gill Pratt, CEO of Toyota’s research center, said, “the road to creating a car as safe, or safer, than a human driver will require billions of test miles including simulation, real-world driving on public roads, and closed-course testing where we can expose our systems to extreme circumstances and conditions.”

Pratt added that the new facility is a “significant step forward in this journey and will accelerate our ability to help prevent crashes and save lives.”