American Center for Mobility
American Center for Mobility is a nonprofit operating a 500-acre U.S. DOT–designated proving ground in Ypsilanti, Michigan, providing integrated testing, validation, and certification services for connected, automated, electric, and cybersecurity-focused mobility technologies to OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, startups, government, and academia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersYpsilanti, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What American Center for Mobility does
American Center for Mobility (ACM) is a Michigan-based nonprofit organization that operates a 500-acre purpose-built proving ground and test facility for connected, automated, electrified, and increasingly hydrogen- and cybersecurity-focused mobility technologies. Founded in 2016 and located at the historic Willow Run site in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, ACM is one of 10 U.S. DOT designated Automated Vehicle Proving Grounds and hosts 16 distinct testing environments, including a 700-foot tunnel, an 80+ mph highway loop, a GPS-denied urban canyon, a triple-decker overpass, vehicle laboratories with dynamometers and environmental chambers, and a multi-standard EV charging interoperability testbed (CCS, CHAdeMO, J1772, MCS, wireless) backed by a private AT&T 4G/LTE and 5G Sub-6Ghz network.
ACM's core product is fee-for-service access to this integrated testing ecosystem for OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, mobility startups, government agencies, national laboratories, standards bodies, and universities. Specialized services include the EV Charging Basecamp (opened November 2024), cybersecurity testing (in partnership with Block Harbor, VicOne, and Drivesec), Field Testing for public-road data acquisition, and Engineering Services delivered through a co-located Michigan Technological University team. Supporting revenue streams include an 8,000 sq-ft event center, industry events (CharIN Testival, V2G Forum, MBS, Demo Days), federally funded R&D programs (DOE, DOT, NHTSA, NSF), marketing and content-shoot activations, and the 350,000 sq-ft Technology Park at Willow Run — a Renaissance-Zone-designated multi-tenant real estate offering for mobility tenants to co-locate.
ACM generates revenue through a hybrid professional-services and grant-funded model: founding members (Toyota, Hyundai, Visteon, Ford, AT&T) and other enterprise customers pay for track access, equipment rental, and engineering support on a quote basis; government and consortia revenue flows through grants and cooperative R&D agreements (e.g., the $2.9M Joint Office of Energy and Transportation grant in January 2024); and real-estate leasing at the Technology Park plus event hosting contribute additional recurring revenue. The organization reported nearly 5,596 test hours in 2025 across 200+ customers, and entered a leadership transition in April 2026 with CEO Reuben Sarkar's announced departure to SAE International.
American Center for Mobility firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- American Center for Mobility
- Legal name
- American Center for Mobility
- Website
- https://acmwillowrun.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- American Center for Mobility is a nonprofit operating a 500-acre U.S. DOT–designated proving ground in Ypsilanti, Michigan, providing integrated testing, validation, and certification services for connected, automated, electric, and cybersecurity-focused mobility technologies to OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, startups, government, and academia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
American Center for Mobility industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Automotive Testing and Validation Services
- NAICS
- Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)
- SIC
- Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Vehicle Diagnostics & Fault Code Scanning Services (TLAKANAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- High-Voltage (HV) Safety, Isolation Testing & Compliance Services (TLAKAMAH), Battery & EV/Hybrid Preventive Maintenance (Battery Health/High-Voltage Inspection) (TLAKAGAJ), Onboard Diagnostics (OBD) Readiness & Drive-Cycle Verification (TLAKANAH)
Keywords
Where American Center for Mobility is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ypsilanti
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
American Center for Mobility business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Testing & Validation Services: ACM generates revenue by providing testing and validation services for autonomous vehicles, connected vehicles, EV technologies, cybersecurity, and ADAS/ADS systems. Customers pay for track access, equipment rental, engineering support, and testing program execution. Testing is available to OEMs, suppliers, technology companies, government, and academia on a fee-for-service basis. Priority access is given to founding members.
- Events & Meeting Space: Revenue generated from hosting events, conferences, product launches, vehicle reveals, ride-and-drive experiences, marketing shoots, and corporate events at the campus. The 8,000 square-foot event center accommodates up to 500 people and is co-located within the smart city test center.
- Technology Park Real Estate Leasing: ACM Technology Park offers 350,000 square-feet of multi-tenant space for mobility companies to co-locate next to the test center. Potential uses include individual/shared offices, innovation labs, startup incubators, conferencing & events, and education & workforce development labs. The park is certified shovel-ready, designated as a Renaissance Zone through 2031, and located in a State of Michigan Opportunity Zone.
- Federally Funded R&D Programs: ACM leads, partners on, and hosts mobility R&D programs alongside federal agencies (U.S. DOE, APRA-E, U.S. DOT, FHWA, NHTSA, NSF), national laboratories, and industry through grants and government contracts. Revenue comes from grants such as the $2.9M Joint Office of Energy and Transportation grant, DOE grants, and cooperative research and development agreements (CRADA).
- Marketing & Activations: Companies use the ACM campus as a backdrop for product reveals, brand films, and promotional shoots, with cinematic locations like the tunnel, urban canyon, and proving ground roads. Revenue generated from content and video shoots, tech demonstrations, and marketing activations.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
American Center for Mobility product offering
Product offeringCore offering
American Center for Mobility operates a 500-acre proving ground and test facility offering comprehensive mobility testing, validation, and certification services for autonomous vehicles, connected vehicles, ADAS systems, and EV charging technologies. The facility provides 16 purpose-built testing environments, EV charging interoperability testing across multiple standards, cybersecurity validation, public road field testing, and engineering services through Michigan Technological University. ACM also hosts industry events and offers Technology Park real estate for co-locating mobility companies adjacent to the test center.
Product overview
The American Center for Mobility (ACM) operates a unified platform centered on its 500-acre proving ground and test facility at the historic Willow Run site in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The core offering is the Proving Ground & Test Track with 16 purpose-built testing environments, supplemented by specialized services including EV Charging Basecamp for multi-standard interoperability testing, Cybersecurity Testing for connected vehicles and EVSE, Field Testing for on-road data acquisition, and Engineering Services through Michigan Technological University partnership. ACM also hosts Events & Meeting Space including an Event Center, manages the Technology Park real estate, and licenses Mcity OS from University of Michigan for AV testing. Key testing capabilities span ADAS validation, FMVSS compliance, headlamp testing, V2X/V2G communications, autonomous vehicle testing, and EV charging certification across CCS, CHAdeMO, J1772, MCS, and wireless standards.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Proving Ground & Test Track A 500-acre campus with 16 purpose-built testing environments including Willow Run Tunnel (700 FT), Off-Road Area, Planet M Boulevard, Triple-Decker Overpass, Highway Loop (up to 80+ mph), Urban Arterial, User-Defined Areas, 6x6 Intersection, Technology Development Area, Bicycle & Pedestrian Corridor, Urban Canyon (GPS-denied), Parking Area, 2-Track Off-Road, Vehicle Laboratories, ACM Foundation, and EV Charging Interoperability zone. Used by automotive OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, startups, and government for ADAS, AV, V2X, FMVSS, NCAP, and headlamp testing.
- EV Charging Basecamp Premier multi-standard EV charging interoperability testbed supporting CCS, CHAdeMO, J1772, MCS, and wireless charging validation for EV infrastructure certification. Supported by a $2.9 million Joint Office of Energy and Transportation grant in collaboration with CharIN and Argonne National Laboratory.
- Cybersecurity Testing Dynamic cybersecurity validation services for connected and autonomous vehicles, EV charging infrastructure, and software-defined vehicles. Includes partnerships with Block Harbor, VicOne, GRIMM, and Drivesec.
- Field Testing Public road testing services extending beyond the proving ground for performance data capture, AI/ML naturalistic training datasets, and vehicle/EV charging evaluations along public routes.
- Engineering Services Expert technical support delivered through partnership with Michigan Technological University's Keweenaw Research Center and Advanced Power Systems Research Center (APS LABS), including drivers, technicians, engineering staff, program managers, and specialized tools.
- Events & Meeting Space Event hosting services from boardroom meetings to multi-day industry summits with live demonstrations, including the ACM Event Center accommodating up to 500 people.
- Technology Park Real Estate 350,000 square-feet of multi-tenant space certified shovel-ready site for mobility companies to co-locate, designated as Renaissance Zone through 2031 with approximately 85% property tax abatement.
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 5,596 test hours logged in 2025 across 200+ customers
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use American Center for Mobility
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
American Center for Mobility technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
American Center for Mobility partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
25 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- CAR (Center for Automotive Research)minorACM was tapped as day-one host site for the 2026 Management Briefing Seminars (MBS), the acclaimed annual event held by CAR.
- DrivesecminorMOU to bring Drivesec's Weseth cybersecurity platform to Willow Run. Partnership to make practical cybersecurity learning more accessible for mobility product teams. Joint promotion and marketing of Drivesec's Weseth platform.
- Michigan Technological University (MTU)coreACM has partnered with Michigan Technological University to provide engineering support services with MTU's professional engineering staff co-located on the ACM campus. Building on MTU's Keweenaw Research Center (900-acre proving ground, 60+ years of experience) and Advanced Power Systems Research Center (APS LABS) with deep expertise in vehicle dynamics, autonomy, and advanced power systems. MTU developed DRIVE and SCOUT tools supporting ACM field testing programs.
- May MobilityminorACM launched a month-long safety testing program for the Detroit Automated Driving Systems (ADS) shuttle pilot with May Mobility.
- WeaveGridminorPartnership to test WeaveGrid's innovative software enabling rapid integration of electric vehicles with the electric grid, using real-world EVs at ACM's facility.
- CharINcoreCollaboration on EV charger testing at ACM's Willow Run facility. Part of $2.9 million Joint Office of Energy and Transportation grant to enhance EV charger testing and increase NEVI-compliant DC fast chargers. Focus on interoperability and standards compliance. CharIN is the Charging Interface Initiative, a global organization promoting EV charging standards.
- Argonne National LaboratorycoreCollaboration on EV charger testing as part of $2.9 million Joint Office of Energy and Transportation grant. Working with CharIN and ACM to increase NEVI-compliant DC fast chargers and focus on interoperability and standards compliance at the Willow Run facility.
- IBMminorPartnership with IBM and Terbine to establish an industry-wide open-source platform providing interoperability testing for vehicle and charger manufacturers, charging network operators, and others in the EV industry.
- TerbineminorPartnership with IBM and ACM to establish an industry-wide open-source platform for ongoing EV compatibility testing for vehicle and charger manufacturers and charging network operators.
- Block HarborminorBlock Harbor joined ACM as Executive-in-Residence for mobility cybersecurity, supporting ACM's strategic plan to broaden focus to advancing safe, sustainable, and secure mobility technologies.
- VicOneminorPartnership with VicOne and Block Harbor to jointly offer security services around EV charging, providing comprehensive cybersecurity solutions for EV infrastructure.
- HARMAN InternationalminorStrategic collaboration announced at MWC 2023 to evaluate road-ready connectivity products to enhance road safety. 5G, V2X & MEC at ACM enable validation of safety-critical use cases.
- Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (UAE)minorMOU with Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure of the United Arab Emirates and other parties to launch a new smart mobility think-tank.
- Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen (MachH2)minorACM joined as an alliance member to support efforts to reduce CO2 emissions and create clean energy jobs through deployment of clean hydrogen across the Midwest.
- Delta (Electronics)minorDelta demonstrated 400kW solid state transformer-based extreme fast EV charger to partners including GM, DTE Energy, NextEnergy, Virginia Tech's CPES, ACM, and U.S. DOE at the Willow Run facility.
- BayoTechminorPartnership to expand distributed hydrogen network into Michigan at ACM. First-of-its-kind hydrogen hub planned at ACM for automotive OEMs' fuel cell vehicle commercialization activities.
- GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology (Eastern Michigan University)minorLease agreement for EMU to deploy autonomous shuttles and open new R&D space at ACM as part of the technology campus.
- Detroit Smart Parking Lab (Ford, Bedrock, Bosch, State of Michigan)minorDetroit Smart Parking Lab opened in September 2021, hosted at Bedrock's Assembly Lab, providing physical environment to simulate real-world scenarios for automated and EV charging testing. Enterprise conducted the first lab project and ACM runs daily operations.
- Perrone RoboticsminorPerrone Robotics solidified commitment to develop an advanced AV test facility at ACM with residency commitment, enabled by CapStone Holdings investment.
- HumaneticsminorMOU to offer Humanetics active safety test equipment for use by customers at ACM, including soft targets, ADAS targets, and pedestrian仿真 targets for testing advanced driver assistance and automated driving systems.
- GRIMMminorCyber research firm GRIMM co-locates at ACM to support automotive cybersecurity projects. This is GRIMM's second location in Michigan enabling expansion of GRIMM's team into the heart of advanced transportation mobility testing and research.
- AT&TcoreAT&T serves as exclusive network provider for ACM's Smart City Test Center through 2023. AT&T built out a private 4G/LTE cellular network covering the test environment and is adding a 5G Sub-6Ghz network for advanced research and testing capabilities. Supports V2V and V2X communication technologies. AT&T has been the founding network provider since 2017.
- AstaZero AB (Sweden)minorInternational partnership to establish globally harmonized approaches for development of connected and automated vehicles in test environments. MOU promotes sharing of cutting-edge testing scenarios, safety methods, and physical validation of CAV technologies. Participants meet semi-annually to exchange testing updates and address areas of mutual concern.
- K-City (Korea Automobile Testing & Research Institute)minorInternational partnership to establish globally harmonized approaches for development of connected and automated vehicles in test environments. MOU promotes sharing of cutting-edge testing scenarios, safety methods, and physical validation of CAV technologies.
- CETRAN (Centre of Excellence for Testing and Research for AVs - NTU, Singapore)minorInternational partnership participant for establishing globally harmonized approaches for development of connected and automated vehicles in test environments.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights8 records
American Center for Mobility competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- HORIBA MIRA: HORIBA MIRA is a UK-based automotive engineering consultancy operating a large proving ground (including the MIRA Technology Park) offering vehicle development, testing, and certification services globally. Comparable in scale and service breadth but commercial (for-profit) rather than non-profit.
- IDIADA: Applus+ IDIADA is a Spain-based automotive testing, certification, and engineering services provider with its own proving ground. Comparable in providing homologation, ADAS/AV testing, and EV validation services to global OEMs, though operated as a commercial entity.
Direct peers
- Transportation Research Center (TRC): TRC in East Liberty, Ohio is one of the 10 U.S. DOT designated Automated Vehicle Proving Grounds and operates a 4,500-acre facility offering vehicle testing, certification, and homologation services. Directly comparable as a large-scale automotive proving ground with NHTSA-aligned crash and safety testing capabilities.
- CETRAN (Centre of Excellence for Testing and Research for AVs - NTU, Singapore): CETRAN at Nanyang Technological University is Singapore's designated AV test center and an ACM MOU partner. Comparable as a government-affiliated CAV testing facility focused on tropical urban conditions and harmonized standards development.
- Mcity: University of Michigan's Mcity is the closest direct peer — a connected and automated vehicle test facility also located in the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area. Both share the same customer base (U-M affiliated researchers, OEMs), and ACM has licensed Mcity OS. Highly comparable as a non-profit CAV testbed with research orientation.
- K-City (Korea Automobile Testing & Research Institute): K-City in Korea is an international AV proving ground operated by KATRI and one of ACM's MOU partners for harmonized CAV testing. It offers comparable urban, highway, and adverse weather test environments for connected and autonomous vehicles.
- AstaZero: Sweden's AstaZero is a full-scale independent proving ground for active safety, autonomous driving, and vehicle electrification testing. It is one of ACM's official international partner facilities, and serves comparable customers (OEMs, Tier 1s, regulators) with comparable CAV and EV test capabilities.
- GoMentum Station: GoMentum Station in Concord, California is one of the 10 U.S. DOT designated AV Proving Grounds, operated by AAA Northern California. It focuses on AV and V2X testing using a 2,100-acre former naval weapons station, directly comparable to ACM's CAV testing focus.
- Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) Proving Ground: TTI operates one of the 10 U.S. DOT designated AV Proving Grounds at the Texas A&M RELLIS Campus. Comparable as a non-profit, university-affiliated research and testing facility serving public agencies and OEMs on CAV validation.
Emerging players
- Detroit Smart Parking Lab: Detroit Smart Parking Lab is a real-world automated and EV charging testing facility hosted at Bedrock's Assembly Lab and operated by ACM itself. Directly comparable as a niche urban AV/EV testing environment, though smaller and focused on parking/curbside scenarios.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat7 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
American Center for Mobility social profiles
Digital presenceAmerican Center for Mobility financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
American Center for Mobility leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
American Center for Mobility funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors3 records
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American Center for Mobility M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about American Center for Mobility
What does American Center for Mobility do?
American Center for Mobility operates a 500-acre proving ground and test facility offering comprehensive mobility testing, validation, and certification services for autonomous vehicles, connected vehicles, ADAS systems, and EV charging technologies. The facility provides 16 purpose-built testing environments, EV charging interoperability testing across multiple standards, cybersecurity validation, public road field testing, and engineering services through Michigan Technological University. ACM also hosts industry events and offers Technology Park real estate for co-locating mobility companies adjacent to the test center.
Is American Center for Mobility a public or private company?
American Center for Mobility is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was American Center for Mobility founded?
American Center for Mobility was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is American Center for Mobility based?
American Center for Mobility is headquartered in Ypsilanti, United States, in the North America region.
How does American Center for Mobility make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Testing & Validation Services are the primary driver. The others are events & Meeting Space, technology Park Real Estate Leasing, federally Funded R&D Programs and marketing & Activations.
Who are American Center for Mobility's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are HORIBA MIRA and IDIADA. Direct peers are Transportation Research Center (TRC), CETRAN (Centre of Excellence for Testing and Research for AVs - NTU, Singapore), Mcity, K-City (Korea Automobile Testing & Research Institute), AstaZero, GoMentum Station and Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) Proving Ground. Detroit Smart Parking Lab is listed as an emerging player.
Does American Center for Mobility have an API?
No public API is recorded for American Center for Mobility.
What industry is American Center for Mobility in?
American Center for Mobility's product category is Automotive Testing and Validation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAKANAA, Vehicle Diagnostics & Fault Code Scanning Services, with a secondary code of TLAKAMAH, High-Voltage (HV) Safety, Isolation Testing & Compliance Services. Its NAICS code is 541380 and its SIC code is 8734.