NAVYA a French company specializing in driverless, automated electric vehicles designed for the intelligent transport of people and goods, will build its more than 20,000 square foot manufacturing plant in Saline, Michigan.

NAVYA plans to build approximately 25 of its ARMA fully autonomous shuttle vehicles at the plant before the close of 2017. According to company officials, with the addition of its new plant in Saline the company will be able to boost production significantly to serve the growing North American market.

“We at NAVYA could not be more pleased to call Saline, Michigan home to our first assembly plant in North America. As the greater Ann Arbor area continues to establish itself as a hub for autonomous vehicle development, we feel it’s the perfect location for us. Strong government and community support for mobility initiatives combined with an excellent talent pool provide the ideal environment for our expansion in North America,” said NAVYA CEO Christophe Sapet.

NAVYA collaborated with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Ann Arbor SPARK, a non-profit organization advancing the region by encouraging and supporting business, to bring the project to fruition. The project is expected to generate a total capital investment of more than $1 million and create 50 jobs, resulting in a $435,000 Michigan Business Development performance-based grant. The funds are approved by the Michigan Strategic Fund and administered by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

“Michigan is at the forefront of mobility and autonomous vehicle development, and NAVYA’s decision to establish its first U.S. facility in Saline further solidifies our leadership position in that space,” said Trevor Pawl, MEDC Group Vice President over Planet M, the state’s new economic development initiative set up to help mobility companies enter Michigan. “We applaud NAVYA’s commitment to Michigan and look forward to working with the company as it continues to develop advanced mobility vehicles and technologies.”

“NAVYA’s growth in the Ann Arbor region is fueled by our region's commitment to innovation in mobility technology, and the talented people who think and work on these issues every day throughout our region,” said Paul Krutko, President & CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK. “We’re excited to add depth to our technical prowess in this region, and to be part of NAVYA tapping in to the manufacturing and engineering capabilities here as it moves forward in making some of the world’s first autonomous mass transit vehicles. NAVYA is a terrific contribution to our prominence in the connected and autonomous vehicle industry.”