Ford, Google are founding partners in Michigan Central Innovation District

A few years ago, Ford stepped in to save the historic Michigan Central Station from destruction, with the idea that it could serve as a hub for a burgeoning mobility industry in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood. Now, according to Ford, those plans have started to bear fruit because it just announced Google as its first corporate partner in the Michigan Central Innovation District.

If all that sounds like a lot of jargon bordering on technobabble, you’re not alone, but it’s a lot more simple than it sounds. The area surrounding Michigan Central Station will have special permissions from the city and state to help speed the development of new mobility solutions, be they first-mile-last-mile scooters or autonomous vehicles. It also groups these companies near one another, which might help facilitate cooperation and partnership.