The Michigan bill, developed after consultation with Google and other technology companies, would allow suppliers and small businesses to obtain manufacturer license plates to test self-driving technology on Michigan roads, provided there is a human being in the vehicle.
Continental, a German company with its U.S. headquarters in Auburn Hills, retrofitted a Volkswagen Passat with sensors and advanced technology to read the surroundings and drive itself accurately. It conducted testing in Nevada. LANSING, MI -- Gov. Rick Snyder says that expanding the testing of autonomous vehicles in Michigan will cement the state's reputation as the "automotive capital" of the world.
But automakers and suppliers aren't the only ones who would benefit from legislation introduced by Sen. Mike Kowall, R-White Lake, and co-sponsored by each member of the bipartisan Senate Transportation Committee.
"The military, the agriculture element is really big," Kowall said today after the Senate panel heard testimony on his bill. "John Deere, for instance, they've been working on guidance systems for their tractors and harvesters for a long time."
Kowall's legislation, developed after consultation with Google and other technology companies, would allow suppliers and small businesses to obtain manufacturer license plates to test self-driving technology on Michigan roads, provided there is a human being in the vehicle.
Three states -- California, Nevada and Florida -- have adopted similar laws, leading companies from around the country to test products there. The hope, Kowall said, is that by allowing local testing, small businesses will have a leg up on development.
"It's about getting the jobs back," he said. "That's all you hear from people: Let's get people back to work. This is one of the many things we've been doing. It's high-tech stuff. It's what's going to bring my daughter back from California, where her boyfriend designs app systems."
Andrew Dallas, vice president of federal systems at Soar Technology, said his Ann Arbor-based company is developing an unmanned vehicle for the Marines. While he was not at liberty to discuss the specifics, Dallas said the proposed legislation would help defense contractors to develop cutting-edge technology in Michigan.
"For a small company, there is a number of ways we test," he said. "One is in a simulator and the other is in vehicles … This bill provides that opportunity to go on the road. This bill is extremely important, especially for small businesses, so we can test and obtain data to build our software of the future."
Detroit automakers have been working on their own autonomous vehicle technology for years. While they may not sell a self-driving car anytime soon, Brian O'Connell of General Motors said the company already has brought some of those technologies to market in the form of adaptive cruise control and other advanced safety features.
While the legislation would not directly impact GM, which already has access to manufacturer plates and private testing grounds, O'Connell said the automaker supports legislation that "promotes Michigan as a good state to do testing of these vehicles, not only for General Motors, but for upfitters and other companies as well."
Kowall is working on a few changes to the bill to clarify operator liablity. He expects the Senate Transportation Committee to vote on a substitute version next week and hopes it will reach the governor's desk by April or May. That would allow companies to take advantage of prime testing conditions during summer months.
Jonathan Oosting is a Capitol reporter for MLive Media Group. Email him at joosting@mlive.com or follow at twitter.com/jonathanoosting.