On June 6, Safe Demo Day at Ypsilanti Township's American Center for Mobility (ACM) showcased the latest developments at the state-of-the-art testing facility, ranging from new technologies to an expansion of ACM's scope.

Highlights included updates on the state's mobility industry from Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) officials, bus tours of the grounds, demonstrations by partners who do research with or rent space or track time from ACM, and the unveiling of the first of of a dozen electric vehicle charging stations planned for southeast Michigan by startup VoltPost.
Doug CoombeVoltPost CEO Jeff Prosserman demonstrates his company's technology.
ACM CEO Reuben Sarkar kicked off the event by welcoming the audience, about half of whom raised their hands to indicate that they had never before toured ACM.

"That's the entire purpose of why we do these types of events. It's to introduce people to what we do at ACM, to introduce other companies who use ACM, and connect the dots between how the facility is used and how we might be able to partner with other companies," Sarkar said.
Doug CoombeReuben Sarkar speaks at Safe Demo Day.
The ACM grounds were originally dedicated to autonomous vehicle research, but Sarkar says ACM's mission has broadened the last two years to include more "safe, sustainable, secure mobility technologies to better align with what industry's focus was and the customers that were using the facility." He noted vehicle electrification and cybersecurity among the other industries now looking to partner with ACM.

Sarkar described the various assets and infrastructure at ACM, including real estate, power infrastructure, and specialized test equipment. He also highlighted a deep partnership with Michigan Technological University (MTU). Several MTU grad students were on hand to run demonstrations, and an MTU tech trailer was open for exploration during the event.
Doug CoombeMTU Professor Jeff Naber and a grad student at Safe Demo Day.
Justine Johnson, Chief Mobility Officer for MEDC, talked about MEDC's Office of Future Mobility and Electrification and its role in supporting innovative and progressive policies. She highlighted the Michigan Mobility Funding Platform, which provides grant funding for companies testing and deploying technologies.
Doug CoombeJustine Johnson speaks at Safe Demo Day.
Michele Mueller, manager for connected, automated vehicles, and electrification for MDOT, discussed the focus on safety in the mobility industry and the availability of grant opportunities. She also highlighted the importance of bringing state agencies together for larger goals.
Doug CoombeMichele Mueller speaks at Safe Demo Day.
Before attendees went their separate ways to talk to demonstrators at booths or see technology demonstrations on various surfaces and road conditions throughout the 25-acre site, they watched the unveiling of VoltPost's first charging station in southeast Michigan. The charging station now working on ACM's campus has a retractable cable and adapter that can charge both electric and hybrid vehicles. It's the first of what the company plans to be a total of 12 across southeast Michigan.

VoltPost's technology uses existing light posts to provide charging stations for electric and hybrid vehicles. It eliminates the need for "trenching" or tearing up existing asphalt or other infrastructure to add a charging station.
Doug CoombeThe unveiling of VoltPost's new electric vehicle charging technology at Safe Demo Day.
VoltPost also provides an app that allows users to find charging stations around the region and will have the capability to allow users to reserve charging stations for short periods around 15-30 minutes.

After a morning of demos, the group broke for lunch and a showcase of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) testing. ADAS is a set of technologies, sometimes powered by artificial intelligence, that help drivers with tasks like checking lane position or avoiding crashes. This portion of the day featured a talk by Michael McPike of AB Dynamics, a firm that offers an ecosystem for ADAS testing, including realistic targets, driving robots, and software.

More demonstrations followed lunch, showing that mobility can encompass a wide range of applications. Participating companies included Deepview, offering AI-driven imaging and analysis; Noble Gases, providing lightweight storage for pressurized gases like hydrogen; and Motmot, a company that provides autonomous underwater robots to survey and inspect water mains and other water infrastructure.
Doug CoombeMotmot CEO Elliot Smith and Finance and Operations Director Ezequiel Darre at Safe Demo Day.
Sarkar noted that ACM's original role as a testing site and proving grounds has expanded. ACM also does federal research, helps build brand awareness for partner companies, and provides a venue for events. Sarkar says there are also long-term plans to build a tech park and create a 501(c)(3) foundation to encourage workforce development efforts.

"Our goal is to go beyond the test track," Sarkar said. "We have about 25 acres as well as other areas on the property that can be developed into locations with demonstrations of technology. That plan was paused briefly during COVID, and now we're resuming the process of starting to build off that land."

Sarkar says many potential clients have expressed an interest in accessing not just land but also power, and ACM is hoping to build out its power infrastructure as well over the next two years. 

"We have testing capabilities, we have real estate, and we have an ecosystem," Sarkar says. "What we try to do is bring those assets and infrastructure together to deliver services. Some people might not be aware that we do a lot more than just testing here."