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takyon writes:

Waymo announces major expansion in Michigan, the cradle of the US auto industry

Waymo is expanding its presence in Michigan, the state synonymous with the US auto industry. The Google self-driving spinoff announced Tuesday that its plan to build a 200,000-square-foot manufacturing center and hire up to 400 employees over the next five years was just approved by the state's economic development corporation. It's a sign that Waymo is interested in gaining more control over its production process as it seeks to grow its business of deploying autonomous vehicles.

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation approved an $8 million incentive to Waymo to build its manufacturing plant in the state, The Detroit News reported. Under the deal, Waymo agrees to create a minimum of 100 new jobs in the state, but would receive the $8 million incentive only if it exceeds that minimum and creates up to 400 jobs. Total investment in the facility will be $13.6 million, MEDC says.

[...] In a blog post, Waymo said it would look to hire engineers, operations experts, and fleet coordinators. "This will be the world's first factory 100%-dedicated to the mass production of [Level 4] autonomous vehicles," the company said.

Also at TechCrunch.

Previously: Google's Waymo Plans to Launch a Self-Driving Car Service in December
Waymo Announces Limited Debut of "Driverless" Taxi Service in Phoenix, AZ

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