Mcity research investigates equitable and accessible mobility solutions for smart communities with a focus on connected and automated vehicle safety and infrastructure.
Our Research Framework
Mcity’s approach to applied research funding includes a combination of government grants and member supported projects. Our key research pillars include:
- Smart infrastructure for CAVs
- Automated vehicle safety
- Equitable and accessible mobility
- Smart city prototypes
Mcity partners on projects and collaborates with Mcity members on grant proposals from funding sources at all levels of government.
Funding support for company-directed projects may be available to members when the research interests of the company and Mcity align.
Project Highlights
Mcity is a trusted partner on a wide range of research projects across southeast Michigan funded by local, state and federal government agencies as well as industry.
2025 ongoing
M-air
A public-private research partnership to accelerate the development of the low-altitude economy with a focus on emerging commercial activities such as drone delivery, urban air mobility and agricultural services operating in the airspace below 3,000 feet.
Directors: Venkat Viswanathan, M-air Director and Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering; Greg McGuire, M-air and Mcity Managing Director
Funding: Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification, University of Michigan
Awarded to: M-air and Mcity
Mcity role: Lead
2023 ongoing
Ann Arbor Connected Environment 2.0
Advanced Transportation Technology and Innovation (ATTAIN) program grant awarded to update one of the largest connected vehicle environments in the world with cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology.
PI: Henry Liu, UMTRI and Mcity Director; Jim Sayer, former UMTRI Director (2016-2025)
Funding: Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation
Awarded to: UMTRI
Mcity role: Engineering support
2022 ongoing
The Transportation Insecurity Project
A research initiative to understand transportation insecurity and its impact. The Transportation Security Index (TSI) is the first validated measure of transportation insecurity.
PI: Alex Murphy, Mcity Associate Director, Social Science Research
Funding: Mcity
Awarded to: The Transportation Insecurity Project and TSI
Mcity role: Research initiative
2022
Mcity 2.0
Enhanced the Mcity Test Facility by developing digital infrastructure to overlay the physical test facility and create a cloud-based, augmented-reality CAV testbed available to academic researchers nationwide.
PI: Henry Liu, UMTRI and Mcity Director
Funding: National Science Foundation
Awarded to: Mcity
Mcity role: Lead
2021-2022
A2GO
Mcity joined May Mobility and several other partners in October 2021 to launch A2GO – a free, public, on-demand autonomous shuttle service connects the University of Michigan campus, Kerrytown, and the State Street Corridor in Ann Arbor.
PI: Henry Liu, UMTRI and Mcity Director
Funding: Michigan Economic Development Corp. (partial)
Awarded to: May Mobility and partners including Mcity, Ann Arbor SPARK, Important Safety Technologies, 4M and state of Michigan’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification
Mcity role: Data collection
2021-2025
Accessibili-D AV Shuttle for Seniors
An Automated Driverless System (ADS) Shuttle pilot project served seniors and physically disabled residents of Detroit. The project was warded to the Michigan Mobility Collaborative which included Mcity and UMTRI, and led by the City of Detroit.
PI: Henry Liu, UMTRI and Mcity Director
Funding: Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation
Awarded to: Michigan Mobility Collaborative
Mcity role: Conducting safety testing
2021 ongoing
Smart Intersections Project
75 intersections in Ann Arbor gather and transmit information in real time to connected cars, potentially providing warnings when vehicles are in dangerous situations.
PI: Henry Liu, UMTRI and Mcity Director; Jim Sayer, former UMTRI Director (2016-2025)
Funding: Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation
Awarded to: UMTRI
Mcity role: Engineering support
2018-2019
Mcity Driverless Shuttle
The primary goal of the Mcity Driverless Shuttle research project was to understand human acceptance, trust, and behavior when riding in a driverless shuttle or interacting with one on the road.
PI: Huei Peng, former Mcity Director (deceased)
Funding: Mcity
Awarded to: Mcity, supported by J.D. Power
Mcity role: Lead
A Legacy of Research Funding
From 2014 through 2025, Mcity has invested over $17.4 million to fund over 86 research projects across a range of topics, including cybersecurity, pedestrian detection, design guidelines for accessible automated vehicles, data policies for cities of the future, and legal, liability and insurance considerations for connected and automated vehicles. Learn more about completed research and projects that are still in progress.