UMTRI wins Research Award for Connected Vehicles Program

As mentioned in a previous post, Metro Delivery vehicles are being SECRETLY TRACKED by  UMTRI in a groundbreaking research project to improve vehicle safety.

For this massive collaborative effort, UMTRI just won the  “Deal of the Year” Award from annarbor.com in the Research category. We can’t imagine that it’s easy to win an award for research in Ann Arbor, what with all the research going on. But this study is so huge,  and unique, and important that we’re not surprised it took the prize.

Congratulations to our friends at UMTRI! We’re proud to be a part of this amazing study!

Metro Delivery Trying to Make Vehicles Talk to Each Other

The University of Michigan Transportation research institute had a big soiree this Morning to launch the largest study ever done on Smart Vehicle Technology- and Metro Delivery was there, as a volunteer participant in the study.

Metro delivery vehicles- and soon several thousand other vehicles belonging to local individuals and businesses-  are being equipped with special UM-designed tracking devices that communicate with traffic signals, landmarks, and other vehicles, to gather data.

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood was on hand to express the Federal Government’s support for the study, which everyone hopes will result in drastically reduced accidents and enhanced fuel efficiencies.

Imagine traffic lights that turn green because you’re coming towards them, or a warning from your dashboard when collision is imminent.  Imagine your car knowing when there’s been an accident 500 yards ahead on a dark wet highway, and you can immediately begin to grasp the implications for public safety. Imagine a car that can listen to the other vehicles on the road and take their advice to reroute you around traffic jams and you start to think about the tremendous savings in fuel economy. We’re proud to be a part of it!

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder stood to proclaim himself a “nerd”  in support of the project and Congressman John Dingell  drew a large hand of applause when he said that he looked forward to a day when not only vehicles but also people could communicate with each other.

The system was demonstrated to local members of the Media, who were given test drives in vehicles equipped with the technology.

Metro thanks our friends at UMTRI for the opportunity to be a part of this exciting study of developing vehicle-to-vehicle technology! Pictures below!