A leader in the field of autonomous and connected mobility, Warner Norcross & Judd LLP has joined the University of Michigan’s Mcity as an affiliate member.
Formerly known as the Mobility Transformation Center, Mcity is public-private research partnership that brings together industry, government and academic leaders who are focused on this emerging field. From its base in Ann Arbor, Mcity is leading the transition to connected and automated vehicles, or CAVs.
Warner will provide Mcity with legal research and analysis related to the liability environment for CAVs that require shared control by a human driver. The firm expects to publish its analysis jointly with Mcity in November.
“We are pleased to be part of Mcity and look forward to partnering with the group and its members to address the legal challenges – and opportunities – that come with increased automation and connectivity,” said Thomas J. Manganello, co-chair of the Auto Industry Group and founder and chair of MICHauto. “This fast-evolving area will present a host of issues for products and developers who are working to design, market and service shared-control CAV products.
“Our role will be to partner with Mcity to help members and others avoid or minimize their legal risks.”
Mcity is working with its industry and government partners to develop on-road vehicle deployments in Ann Arbor and Southeast Michigan that will serve as testbeds for evaluating the effectiveness and viability of various approaches using CAV technology. Mcity also operates the first purpose-built environment for testing CAVs in simulated urban and suburban driving environments. The Mcity Test Facility sits on a 32-acre site on U-M’s North Campus, with about 16 acres of roads and traffic infrastructure.
“Connected and automated vehicles present an opportunity to improve traffic safety, reduce fuel use and increase accessibility to transportation for those who don’t have it today,” said Mcity Director Heui Peng. “We are pleased to welcome Warner as an affiliate member.
“The law firm joins more than 50 other Mcity affiliates representing a range of industries that are working with us to achieve that transformative vision.”
To learn more about Mcity, click here.
About Warner
By providing discerning and proactive legal advice, Warner Norcross + Judd LLP builds a better partnership with our clients. One of Michigan’s largest law firms, we’re focused on providing the best legal solutions and exceptional client service to organizations throughout the world. Connect with us on wnj.com, LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook.
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