Mcity is a collection of 28 acres of fake buildings, road signs and pedestrians, situated at the University of Michigan. This project wasn't designed to prank or troll people, but was rather designed to test the university's fleet of connected and autonomous vehicles.
The Mcity development allows researchers to test new technologies in a controlled and dedicated environment, before exposing the vehicles to the rigors of the real world. Mcity's building facades are movable while the traffic signal networks are manipulable, allowing for all kinds of testing possibilities.
This innovative development allows for controlled testing that can be managed with solid oversight, whilst also allowing for flexibility. Given that autonomous vehicles are still in the early stages of development, it makes sense for them to be tested in a safe and controllable environment like Mcity.
Vehicle-Testing Fake Cities
Mcity's Fake Buildings Will Be Used to Test Autonomous Vehicles
Trend Themes
1. Controlled Testing - Testing autonomous vehicles in a controlled environment like Mcity allows for solid oversight and management.
2. Flexible Testing - Mcity's movable building facades and manipulable traffic signal networks offer flexibility for testing autonomous vehicles.
3. Safe Testing Environment - Testing autonomous vehicles in a safe and controllable environment like Mcity ensures the safety of both the vehicles and pedestrians.
Industry Implications
1. Automotive Industry - The automotive industry can utilize controlled testing environments like Mcity to accelerate the development and testing of autonomous vehicle technologies.
2. Technology Industry - The technology industry can explore opportunities to provide advanced testing solutions, such as movable building facades and manipulable traffic signal networks, for autonomous vehicle testing.
3. Urban Planning and Development - The urban planning and development industry can collaborate with controlled testing environments like Mcity to understand the impact of autonomous vehicles on urban infrastructure and design.