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Toyota has announced it is partnering with the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) to transform Ann Arbor's streets into a real-world connected car deployment.

The Ann Arbor Connected Vehicle Test Environment (AACVTE) will serve as a real-world test environment for implementing connected vehicle safety technology that allows wireless communication of vehicles with other similar vehicles and portions of infrastructure such as traffic lights. These technologies are already in use in and around Southeast Michigan and in Ann Arbor. AACVTE will build on existing deployments in the city, including an expanded and upgraded test environment. This will form the standard for nationwide deployment.

At present, connected vehicle testing outside closed circuit tracks is limited by a lack of connected vehicles. For a successful transition to autonomous driving, testing requires more distance travelled, more drivers and more cars.

Ann Arbor is already the world's largest Dedicated Short Range Communication test bed, and the Michigan government is active in expanding deployment across the entire state.

Under its UMTRI partnership, Toyota will invite team members and family to take part in the AACVTE initiative. Participants will have their vehicles fitted with devices for accelerated deployment of advanced vehicle-to-infrastructure and vehicle-to-vehicle systems. Its goal is to deploy 5,000 vehicles in the Ann Arbor area.

Toyota will install a vehicle awareness device, a small box out of sight in the rear area ore the trunk area. The device will have two antennas, with one near or on the windshield and another on the vehicle roof or trunk lid. Earlier this month, the manufacturer outlined its partnership with Microsoft in a bid to 'humanise' the connected car experience.