French Firms Plan Visit to Troy to Study Autonomous Vehicles

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An event focused on connected and autonomous vehicles for French businesses looking to gain access to America’s autonomous vehicle market will be held next month at Valeo’s North American headquarters in Troy.

“What a unique opportunity for these rising French companies to further develop and strengthen their relationships with Michigan innovators in the rapidly-growing autonomous vehicle market,” says Cedric Ballarin, president of the French-American Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Chapter, the organization hosting the event. “With all the new ventures emerging in the industry, we are happy to showcase their exceptional capabilities to meet the latest demands in the automotive industry and potentially increase French investment in Michigan.”

French Tech, Innovation, & Savoir-Faire in Autonomous & Connected Vehicles, to be held June 9, will feature a question and answer panel to discuss technologies in autonomous and connected vehicles.

The companies participating include: Akoustic-Arts, a developer of a directional sound speaker; Arkamys, a software provider; Esi-Group, a provider of virtual prototyping software; Faar Industry, a developer of embedded control electronics; Optis, a company that specializes in virtual prototyping for light, human vision, and sensor simulation; Pradeo, which specializes in mobile device security; Prove & Run, who helps solve security issues involved with connected vehicles; and Yogoko, a provider of communication solutions for connected vehicles.

Ballarin says the event ties into UbiMobility: Connected Cars France, a 10-month business immersion program designed to help French companies increase their visibility and gain access to the American autonomous vehicle market. Earlier in the year, a panel of judges from the U.S. automotive sector selected eight of the most innovative French companies based on their “elevator pitches” to comprise the 2016 delegation.

The event costs $50 for FACC Michigan members and $75 for non-members.