The Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) has announced that it has entered into an agreement with Hillwood as AllianceTexas’ official Mobility Innovation Zone (MIZ) research partner. The partnership will leverage the experience and expertise of TTI’s nationally recognized team of researchers and forward-thinkers with the MIZ’s capacity and capabilities.
TTI is the largest higher-education-affiliated transportation research agency in the US, with expertise in engineering, planning, economics, policy, public engagement, landscape architecture, environmental sciences, data sciences and social sciences, among others.
With a growing presence in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, TTI will conduct research, manage strategic initiatives for the MIZ, and serve as a think tank for new opportunities in mobility at AllianceTexas.
The MIZ provides a one-of-a-kind backdrop, offering mobility visionaries full access to an unparalleled testing ecosystem, resources and partnerships essential to comprehensively test, scale and commercialize the latest technologies.
“As budding surface and air mobility technologies take off, our research partnership with Hillwood at the AllianceTexas MIZ reinforces TTI’s ongoing commitment to testing and scaling innovations that impact the way we live,” says Greg Winfree, agency director of TTI. “The location and capabilities that the MIZ offers provide an unparalleled sandbox for research and development of the technologies that will move business, goods and people forward.”
“Our partnership with TTI is a natural pairing for the next phase of research and development at the MIZ, and we cannot wait to see where our partnership will take us in changing the mobility landscape of the region and nation,” adds Ian Kinne, director of logistics innovation for Hillwood. “With unmatched expertise in its field, TTI ensures we have the research-backed results needed to not only set the standard for, but also make significant advancements in, budding mobility technology.”
Technology pioneers, such as Bell and TuSimple, have already established a presence at AllianceTexas by working with MIZ. In February, Bell launched its Autonomous Pod Transport (APT) operations, becoming North Texas’ first point-to-point unmanned aircraft system package delivery demonstration. TuSimple’s Alliance-based facility offers autonomous trucking operations that run throughout the Texas Triangle freight corridor.
