Ontario is investing $80 million over five years in the autonomous vehicle innovation network (AVIN) in Stratford.
The province is partnering with the Ontario Centres of Excellence to launch AVIN, which includes a Demonstration Zone allowing researchers to develop the technology and test an autonomous vehicle in real-life traffic scenarios.
“AV technology is advancing at an incredible pace. There’s no doubt that the cars of the future will soon be our reality in Ontario and around the world,” said Kathleen Wynne, premier of Ontario. “We have an opportunity to make sure our province is a global leader in this revolution, continuing to draw C/AV investment and jobs to Ontario with our highly skilled workforce. By drawing from our province’s tremendous pool of talent, we are bringing together academia and industry to develop the next generation of transportation technology — all right here in Ontario.”
We just unveiled a game-changer for Stratford & our entire auto sector — the Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Network. Auto is so important & we’ve got the talent to stay at the forefront. AVIN is going to help our people develop the cutting-edge tech that keeps us in the lead. pic.twitter.com/SSPawjjnE0
— Kathleen Wynne (@Kathleen_Wynne) November 9, 2017
AVIN includes a Research and Development Partnership Fund to encourage collaboration between automakers, technology leaders, small businesses, and postsecondary students to develop autonomous vehicle technology; a talent development program supporting internships and fellowships for students studying AV technology; and an online hub to promote research and connections within the autonomous vehicle community.
“Ontario is a global leader when it comes to research and innovation, especially in areas fundamental to the next generation of vehicles, such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and cloud computing,” said Reza Moridi, Minister of Research, Innovation and Science. “The newly created Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Network brings these attributes together so Ontario can continue to lead as we create the transportation solutions of tomorrow.”
