# Aussie Drags Detroit to Forefront of Driverless Car Research



## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

Aussies have a way of cutting through bullshit and getting competing organisations to focus on the bigger picture.

Dr Peter Sweatman, who was behind much of the heavy vehicle R&D that brought safe B-Double & B-Triple truck operations around the world now heads this new research centre in Michigan

The March to Driverless cars accelerates.

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d...e-driverless-vehicles-call-home/#.VbMzvSYmLCR


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## secretadmirer (Jul 19, 2015)

Sydney Uber said:


> Aussies have a way of cutting through bullshit and getting competing organisations to focus on the bigger picture.
> 
> Dr Peter Sweatman, who was behind much of the heavy vehicle R&D that brought safe B-Double & B-Triple truck operations around the world now heads this new research centre in Michigan
> 
> ...


Hmm I wonder if he just chose Detroit at random. You should tell him to view the flick "Kentucky Fried Movie", and he might have second thoughts about omg Detroit! But we should all wish him luck just same.


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## UberRidiculous (May 19, 2015)

secretadmirer said:


> Hmm I wonder if he just chose Detroit at random. You should tell him to view the flick "Kentucky Fried Movie", and he might have second thoughts about omg Detroit! But we should all wish him luck just same.


Hahaha I had to Google that movie to know what you're talking about! That movie was made in 1977. Detroit is bad but I think some other cities are worse now. And I am pretty sure he chose Ann Arbor not Detroit. Everyone says Detroit because that's a globally recognized city. But Ann Arbor is an hour west of Detroit. Here's the difference too. Average home price in Detroit is $25k. Average home price in Ann Arbor is $450k


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## secretadmirer (Jul 19, 2015)

UberRidiculous said:


> Hahaha I had to Google that movie to know what you're talking about! That movie was made in 1977. Detroit is bad but I think some other cities are worse now. And I am pretty sure he chose Ann Arbor not Detroit. Everyone says Detroit because that's a globally recognized city. But Ann Arbor is an hour west of Detroit. Here's the difference too. Average home price in Detroit is $25k. Average home price in Ann Arbor is $450k


was the 25k supposed to be 250k? if not that's one heck of a price difference.


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## UberRidiculous (May 19, 2015)

secretadmirer said:


> was the 25k supposed to be 250k? if not that's one heck of a price difference.


Not a mistake. $25k. But it's supply and demand right. You wouldn't want to live there. Even in the nice parts of Detroit where 2500sqft may cost $150k, (and there are only a very few of those) you can't park on the street in front of your house for fear of someone stealing your tires. And that $150k house is in neighborhoods that also has $25k houses.


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## UberRidiculous (May 19, 2015)

secretadmirer said:


> was the 25k supposed to be 250k? if not that's one heck of a price difference.


A few months ago it was on the news radio that a judge who lived in 'a nice part of Detroit' was shot in the leg while in his own driveway. A couple of punks told him to let them in his house and he refused, so they shot him in the leg and fled. THAT could've been worse. And the only reason it was unusual news was because it was a judge.


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

UberRidiculous said:


> Hahaha I had to Google that movie to know what you're talking about! That movie was made in 1977. Detroit is bad but I think some other cities are worse now. And I am pretty sure he chose Ann Arbor not Detroit. Everyone says Detroit because that's a globally recognized city. But Ann Arbor is an hour west of Detroit. Here's the difference too. Average home price in Detroit is $25k. Average home price in Ann Arbor is $450k


You are right, my lack Michigan geographical knowledge


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## UberRidiculous (May 19, 2015)

Sydney Uber said:


> You are right, my lack Michigan geographical knowledge


That's okay, almost everyone does.


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## secretadmirer (Jul 19, 2015)

Sydney Uber said:


> You are right, my lack Michigan geographical knowledge


is there any big cities in aussieland that are run down like Detroit.


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

secretadmirer said:


> is there any big cities in aussieland that are run down like Detroit.


There are, and it's all because Australia will officially have NO vehicle manufacturing industry as of 2018.

The shutdowns started back in 2012, communities haven't recovered and don't look like ever finding an alternative. GM are shutting down their Port Melbourne and Elizabeth plants. Ford closes down at the end of this year in Geelong and Toyota at the end of 2017.

Here is a a part of a story that explains why:

"Australia subsidises its car manufacturing in the order of about $17 (per car), whereas the Germans do it at about somewhere between $65 and $90 and the Americans, $250."


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

UberRidiculous said:


> Hahaha I had to Google that movie to know what you're talking about! That movie was made in 1977. Detroit is bad but I think some other cities are worse now. And I am pretty sure he chose Ann Arbor not Detroit. Everyone says Detroit because that's a globally recognized city. But Ann Arbor is an hour west of Detroit. Here's the difference too. Average home price in Detroit is $25k. Average home price in Ann Arbor is $450k


So do you see this new research centre helping bring the Region back into technological relevance?


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## secretadmirer (Jul 19, 2015)

Sydney Uber said:


> There are, and it's all because Australia will officially have NO vehicle manufacturing industry as of 2018.
> 
> The shutdowns started back in 2012, communities haven't recovered and don't look like ever finding an alternative. GM are shutting down their Port Melbourne and Elizabeth plants. Ford closes down at the end of this year in Geelong and Toyota at the end of 2017.
> 
> ...


If someone from the aussieland wanted to import a vehicle from another country after the shutdown in 2018, would that be allowed, or is that up in the air.


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

secretadmirer said:


> If someone from the aussieland wanted to import a vehicle from another country after the shutdown in 2018, would that be allowed, or is that up in the air.


Yes that is going to be one small compensation. I have already had approaches from UK based Limo companies who are looking for new pipelines to sell their 2nd hand S Class and Audi Q7 s. We get royally ripped off here in Australia

A Holden /Chevrolet Caprice, built here in Australia sells here for AUD$69,000! In the States and Middle East after all currency conversions the same car is around AUD$55,000!

Euro cars a joke, my AUD$93k Mercedes Viano is sold in the UK for AUD$68,000!

I'll happily take on a "grey import" when a 15-25% saving can be made on a car.

What are your import restrictions?


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## secretadmirer (Jul 19, 2015)

Sydney Uber said:


> Yes that is going to be one small compensation. I have already had approaches from UK based Limo companies who are looking for new pipelines to sell their 2nd hand S Class and Audi Q7 s. We get royally ripped off here in Australia
> 
> A Holden /Chevrolet Caprice, built here in Australia sells here for AUD$69,000! In the States and Middle East after all currency conversions the same car is around AUD$55,000!
> 
> ...


im not really sure since I've purchased all my cars in the US.


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## UberRidiculous (May 19, 2015)

Sydney Uber said:


> So do you see this new research centre helping bring the Region back into technological relevance?


No. Ann Arbor is an hour drive from Detroit on an expressway, maybe an hour and 15 minutes. Detroit has been as a friend airline steward once said, the 'armpit of the world'. It has been that way my entire life. Ann Arbor has UofM university & medical school, UofM hospital one of the best, Eastern University and now this.


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## UberRidiculous (May 19, 2015)

Oh, almost forgot! And Google!
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/articl...-from-downtown-ann-arbor-to-create-new-campus


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## secretadmirer (Jul 19, 2015)

UberRidiculous said:


> Oh, almost forgot! And Google!
> http://www.crainsdetroit.com/articl...-from-downtown-ann-arbor-to-create-new-campus


It's still considered Motown I hope it didn't fly the coop.


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## UberRidiculous (May 19, 2015)

secretadmirer said:


> It's still considered Motown I hope it didn't fly the coop.


Really? That's only to outsiders then. Here, they are worlds apart, not even in the same county.


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## secretadmirer (Jul 19, 2015)

Sydney if you know at least two towns in Michigan you have me beat as far knowledge of the aussie cities.


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## UberRidiculous (May 19, 2015)

secretadmirer said:


> Sydney if you know at least two towns in Michigan you have me beat as far knowledge of the aussie cities.


Hahaha all the Uber Global Protests are sharpening my geographical knowledge too!


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