Mobility Initiatives Assigned to Newly Created Michigan Office
The future of driving might be calling Michigan home.
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That’s the hope of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who announced last month a new position, office, and council dedicated to handling mobility initiatives.
The chief mobility officer position will be part of the Michigan Office of Future Mobility and Electrification. This office will reside within the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. The Michigan Council on Future Mobility and Electrification was proposed via Whitmer’s executive order. She plans that it, too, will be part of the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.
The creation of the new office, position, and council was prompted by feedback from business leaders. According to David Eggert, writer for the Associated Press, Whitmer said these leaders reached out to her administration seeking a centralized point of “contact in state government for issues related to the mobility sector.” She added that the centralized point of contact will be the key to harnessing the multiple departments she foresees being involved in future mobility initiatives.
According to Eggert, Whitmer is optimistic that, although many states are trying to be leaders in mobility, Michigan will ultimately win.
“…Michigan is in a great position because it is home to the auto industry and has many engineers, top research universities and extensive ‘connected’ infrastructure,” said Whitmer.
Whitmer claims that the auto industry and the future of mobility are drastically changing due to six trends. The trends are cited in her directive:
- Autonomous driving
- Vehicle connectivity
- Powertrain electrification
- Shared mobility
- Intelligent automation
- Global supply chain
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Whitmer plans to announce the name of the chief mobility officer next month.
DeAnn Owens is a Dayton transplant by way of the Windy City, yet considers herself to be a California girl at heart even though she’s only visited there once. To get through the dreaded allergy season unique to the Miami Valley, she reads, writes, complains about the weather, and enjoys spending time with her husband, two sons, and their newest addition, a Boston terrier puppy that is now in charge of all their lives. In the future, she hopes to write a novel and travel through time. See more articles by DeAnn.