The City of Windsor is pursuing a golden opportunity with its American neighbours.
Windsor, along with Detroit and Ann Arbor, Michigan, has been selected for a year-long program to create a system for improving technology across the border.
The three cities have been selected out of 13 applicants to work on a seamless integrated mobility system being implemented by the World Economic Forum.
The system, dubbed "SIMSystem", is defined by the WEC as one that "will connect city buses, ride shares and autonomous vehicles to enhance the overall efficiency of the transport network and enable faster, safer, cleaner and more affordable mobility of people and goods."
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens confirmed the news via his Twitter account Thursday afternoon.
https://twitter.com/drewdilkens/status/1012396458941865984
Windsor is already working with Detroit on a partnership involving autonomous vehicles. That project, which involved testing at the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel, was announced last summer.
The pilot project is the culmination of a process that began in January, when the WEC put out a manifesto outlining ten principles for public-private collaboration. The WEC put out the call for applications in April.
Dilkens said the partnership is a golden opportunity to explore methods in moving transportation ideas forward.
"We see a significant opportunity to enhance transportation integration and better connect the region to promote economic growth and enhance quality of life,” said Dilkens. “With its history of cross-border trade and collaboration, the Detroit-Ann Arbor-Windsor region is uniquely positioned to lead the world in developing the next-generation mobility system.”
Dilkens' counterpart in Detroit, Mayor Mike Duggan, agrees.
“Making it easier to get around will not just improve the quality of life for our residents, but also tremendously accelerate the economic growth that our city and region are currently experiencing,” said Duggan in a statement.
The submission involving Windsor, Detroit and Ann Arbor was chosen from a field representing ten countries. The other applicants will continue to work with the WEC through workshops and knowledge exchanges.
