Ford Motor Company and Michigan Science Center (MiSci) officials said the entities have collaborated to create an autonomous vehicle exhibit to educate the community on transportation’s future.
The exhibit, built by Ford engineers and developers working closely with MiSci, resembles a vehicle of the future MiSci guests can engage with and explore to learn about autonomous vehicles through interactive displays and a simulation.
“A key part of Ford’s efforts to build a self-driving business across this country is educating people on how the vehicles operate autonomously, as well as the benefits they provide,” John Rich, director of Autonomous Vehicle Technology, Ford Autonomous Vehicles LLC, said. “Through this interactive experience at the Michigan Science Center, our goal is to build trust in self-driving technology and inspire the next generation of engineers, scientists, and mathematicians to pursue a career in transportation.”
Guests will learn how autonomous vehicles operate and make decisions without a human driver using data collected through 3D maps, cameras, sensors, and LiDAR. The effort also includes an interactive LiDAR simulation to demonstrate how an autonomous vehicle sees the environment.
“The Michigan Science Center is honored to work with Ford to bring this unique learning experience to our guests,” Christian Greer, president and CEO of the Michigan Science Center, said. “The Ford Autonomous Vehicle exhibit demonstrates how science and technology is being used in Michigan to transform the automotive industry and the future of driving.”