employed in jobs that may be displaced by the coming autonomous era, such as truck drivers or delivery drivers. Maddox imagines that, one day, we might need ground traffic controllers the way we have air traffic controllers now. “That could be a retraining opportunity,” he adds.
The ACM recently began a project with Michigan State University and some of its member companies to look at the issue and create CAV-specific retraining programs. Maddox believes this is a first-of-its-kind effort nationally.
“We’ve created a pretty bold consortium focused on brand-new technology with curricula targeted to industry needs, and I’m not aware of any other organizations undertaking something like this,” he says.
Maddox has already heard from colleges and universities outside of Michigan that are interested in being part of the consortium, and he says the ACM is exploring that idea. He’s not sure when classes will begin, but says his organization is pushing the consortium to move at a pace more associated with tech startups than academia.
The first phase of the ACM, which is currently under construction, is still on track to open to the public in December. So far, Maddox says, the ACM has raised in excess of $100 million to fund its development, but the financial model to pay for the consortium’s work hasn’t yet been finalized.
“I expect the early programs will be funded by industry because they have the biggest need,” he says.
Members of the academic consortium include Eastern Michigan University, Grand Valley State University, Kettering University, Lawrence Technological University, Macomb Community College, Michigan State University, Michigan Technological University, Oakland University, University of Detroit Mercy, University of Michigan, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Washtenaw Community College, Wayne County Community College, Wayne State University, and Western Michigan University.
