University to host teach-out on self-driving cars

Self Driving Cars For the month of February, the University of Michigan, partnered with Mcity, will be hosting various online “teach-outs” regarding research on self-driving cars and the implementation of such technology in contemporary society.

Teach-outs are academic tools developed at the University that aim to bridge the gap between researchers and academics and the broader public, allowing both groups to engage in meaningful conversation. The teach-out series was launched by the Office of Academic Innovation in March 2017, modeled after the teach-in strategy that also began at the University and was employed during the civil rights movement. Ranging in all subjects these teach-out courses can be accessed by anyone who is interested, at no cost.

Mcity, a mock city located on Michigan’s North Campus, was built in order to test wirelessly connected and driverless vehicles. The project , which started in 2015, has a public-private partnership with leaders in the automotive and technology industry plus University researchers and government entities. One goal for Mcity is to create a working system of both automated and connected vehicles within Ann Arbor by the year 2021.

The teach-out course on self-driving cars hosts faculty from across the University, including representatives from the Ross School of Business, Ford School of Public Policy and College of Engineering. The Office of Academic Innovation reached out to Mcity faculty and researchers to offer their expertise on the subject, as their work surrounding the driverless shuttle and automatic vehicles has garnered attention in recent years.

Rachel Niemer, director of strategic initiatives in the Office of Academic Innovation, explained the importance of incorporating perspectives from both the public and the academy into the course, especially in regards to transportation accessibility and potential ethical questions. With self-driving cars becoming a growing field of study and experimentation, this teach-out aims to bring various […]

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