A French manufacturer of all-electric shuttles is
planning to open its first North American production facility in Michigan.
Shuttle-maker Navya has 45 of its autonomous Arma
shuttles operating around the world and was founded in 2014. To help bring the
Arma to life, the manufacturer partnered with the University of Michigan’s
Mobility Transformation Center in October 2015 and selected a production
facility just south in Saline, Michigan.
Navya chief executive Christophe Sapet
said “We at NAVYA could not be more pleased to call Saline, Michigan, home to
our first assembly plant in North America. “As the greater Ann Arbor area
continues to establish itself as a hub for autonomous vehicle development, we
feel it's the perfect location for us. Strong government and community support
for mobility initiatives combined with an excellent talent pool provide the
ideal environment for our expansion in North America,” Sapet said.
The Navya Arma can transport up to 15 people and
uses a wrath of sensors to drive autonomously without the assistance of a human
driver. The company intends on building
25 units in North America before the end of the year.
