Intersections, urban, rural settings features of new SMART Center
Mark Tami-Hotta, CEO of TRC, speaks at a Wednesday event at The Ohio State University to announce $45 million in funding for the East Liberty testing facility to build a 540-acre expansion to test autonomous vehicle technology. (PHOTO | PAUL BENEDETTI, LOGAN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE)
The Transportation Research Center, which is being hailed as the North America’s biggest automotive testing facility, will receive a $45 million grant to build a state-of-the-art 540-acre testing ground for autonomous vehicles, Gov. John Kasich announced during an event Thursday at The Ohio State University.
The award is part of an effort to position Ohio as a national leader in advancing autonomous vehicle research and smart road technology, the governor and other officials said at the event in Columbus.
The state, OSU and JobsOhio are providing the grant for the East Liberty testing facility. The university is contributing $25 million, the state $12.5 million and JobsOhio $7.5 million. Some of the state’s share will be included in Kasich’s biennial budget proposal to be submitted Monday.
“We are the best testing facility in America,” Kasich said of the research center during a news conference to announce the grant award. “I want to be the best in the world. This is a huge investment.”
Read complete story in Friday’s Examiner.
CLICK HERE to subscribe today!
WEB EDITION STARTING AT $9.50 FOR 5 WEEKS!