Downriver Today

Two mobility companies have been awarded state grant funding from the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME) and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to launch their technology solutions in the state.

The goal of the Michigan Mobility Funding Platform grants is to help enhance real-world testing of mobility solutions, according to a press release from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). 

"Michigan is well-positioned to lead the change on solving the mobility challenges of today and the future," Trevor Pawl, chief mobility officer for the OFME, said in the release. "We are proud to support companies working at the Detroit Smart Parking Lab (DSPL), as their projects are helping to define what the future of mobility could look like both here in Michigan and beyond our borders."

Mobility companies Arrive and WiTricity received a combined $85,000 to test their projects at the DSPL to improve electric vehicle infrastructure and "last-mile mobility barriers," the release said. 

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.) believes the grants will help keep Michigan at the forefront of future mobility and innovation. They will also set the state's economy, which is deeply rooted in the automobile industry, up for future growth, according to the release.

"This joint testing venture will ultimately help to enable a more user-friendly mobility ecosystem in Michigan that provides travelers with the accessibility and parking options that they need, whenever and wherever they need them," John Petrous, founder and creator of Tappy Guide, said in the release. "We are very excited to work with Arrive and take part in this DSPL pilot testing project."