During the grand opening of the American Center for Mobility (ACM) on April 4, it was announced that Microsoft will be the exclusive data and cloud provider for ACM.

In an effort to advance the testing and development of connected and automated vehicles (CAV), as well as mobility technologies, Microsoft will provide ACM with cloud resources and data infrastructure, according to John Maddox, ACM president and CEO.

“We are excited to collaborate with Microsoft in our efforts to lead the world in the safe development of CAV technologies and to enable the safe deployment of these vehicles onto the nation's roads,” Maddox says.

“By adding Big-Data to our diverse and growing group of stakeholders and world-class partners, ACM is staking its claim as the preeminent global hub for mobility companies to develop and test their connected technologies and vehicles in a safe and controlled environment.”

According to Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, the grand opening of ACM, combined with the announcement that Microsoft is its exclusive data and cloud provider, “represents a pinnacle moment for the state in the mobility revolution.”

“Intelligent vehicle technology is evolving rapidly and Michigan is the world leader in making sure the mobility technologies driving the future are safely developed, tested and eventually deployed,” Snyder says.

“This important partnership with Microsoft will provide the American Center for Mobility with the proper digital capabilities to help translate testing data into technology innovations that will make transportation safer for all and fuel further economic growth across the state.”

The American Center for Mobility, which is located at the historic Willow Run site in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, will work with Microsoft to design a cloud-based Data Management & Analytics Platform (DMAP) technology to “collect, store and analyze” data from tests performed at ACM. The technology will be based on Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform, which offers “extensive capabilities for quickly developing and deploying new use cases.”

Using Azure and the DMAP technology, ACM and its partners will be able to accelerate the development of CAV technologies, apps and industry standards, to create a safe environment for “testing, validating, and enabling collaboration across all members.”

“Vehicles are quickly becoming datacenters on wheels, and the opportunity to use the vast amounts of information generated to fuel innovation is unprecedented,” explains Kevin Dallas, corporate vice president, artificial intelligence & intelligent cloud business development, Microsoft.

“We're proud ACM has selected Microsoft Azure as its exclusive cloud provider for its intelligent capabilities and the enterprise-grade security and compliance required to develop comprehensive solutions that help drive the future of mobility.”

Back in December 2017, the American Center for Mobility opened its doors for testing. ACM, which is one of just 10 federally designated proving grounds for developing and testing self-driving vehicles, offers a variety of real-world environments with the ability to test under numerous driving environments and infrastructure, which includes a 2.5-mile highway loop, a 700-foot curved tunnel, two double overpasses, intersections and roundabouts.

ACM, which is part of PlanetM, is a joint initiative with the State of Michigan, founded in partnership with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), the University of Michigan, Business Leaders for Michigan, Ann Arbor SPARK and Ypsilanti Township.