Perrone Robotics has committed to developing an advanced automated vehicle (AV) test facility at the American Center for Mobility (ACM) in Ypsilanti, Mich.
ACM’s smart mobility test center will enable Perrone’s team to work on high-speed, long-term and continuous testing of a wide range of transit vans, shuttles, cargo vehicles and trucks integrated with Perrone’s AV TONY Retrofit solution.
Perrone’s signed commitment with ACM comes just a few short months after the company received a $10-million investment from CapStone Holdings Inc. The funding will support Perrone as it continues to advance its leadership role in the mobility industry.
ACM opened its gates to the public in December of 2017. By March 2018, the first garage facilities were ready to rent, including six large garages each with a capacity for six to eight vehicles and customizable veranda office space, and seven smaller garages with capacity for up to two vehicles featuring private kitchenettes, conference rooms and restrooms.
“The vision of ACM from its inception was intended to use the historic land at Willow Run to drive acceleration within the mobility industry and at the same time attract a new workforce in the region with onsite tenants,” said Reuben Sarkar, president and CEO, ACM. “ACM is excited to have Perrone and their team onsite and the timing couldn’t be better. With the post-pandemic shift for alternative work environments coupled with CAV development efforts that are ready to move into on-track testing, and companies like Perrone who are looking to grow their footprint as a mobility leader, the current ACM garages are now at capacity.”
“Establishing a test facility at ACM will accelerate our progress in delivering comprehensive (complete) AV applications,” added Paul Perrone, founder and CEO of Perrone Robotics, Inc. “As the country’s historic center for automotive advancement, we’re proud to establish a continuous AV testing facility in the greater Detroit region.”
Working at ACM will enable Perrone to innovate, test and deliver more robust AV options for its commercial, governmental, hospitality, campus, logistics and community transit and transportation business lines. With these new initiatives, the management team has plans to hire additional employees to form a dedicated team of CAV test operators and engineers at ACM to support the AV innovation for geofenced and environmentally localized applications.
Perrone Robotics says it intends to drive new activities to showcase its products and capabilities. ACM notes it is now focusing on the rest of the campus and working with stakeholders to plan the next phases of buildout.
