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Detroit staked its claim as a center of mobility innovation yesterday with the opening of a hulking new tech incubator in Corktown.

Why it matters: The historic Book Depository's resurrection from a fire-damaged, vacant shell to a cutting-edge innovation hub represents the city's post-bankruptcy ambitions to become a global leader in mobility and electric vehicle adoption.

Driving the news: Five years after Ford Motor acquired the near-derelict building originally designed by Albert Kahn from the Moroun family, it reopened with dozens of companies already at work.

The 270,000-square-foot former post office branch is now the local headquarters for Newlab, which provides a WeWork-esque office environment for inventors, artists and problem solvers.

The redesign features high ceilings and large windows throughout, with an extended skylight maximizing natural light into an atrium near the entrance.

What's next: The Book Depository is the first completed building at the 30-acre mobility campus anchored by the Michigan Central Station train depot.

Tours for the public are expected to start soon.

The renovated Book Depository building at its reopening in April 2023.

The renovated Book Depository building yesterday during its reopening event. Photo: Joe Guillen/Axios

What they're saying: "The best and the brightest are coming here to invent things to help us with the future that we need," Ford executive chair Bill Ford told a standing-room-only audience gathered for the launch event.

Between the lines: The incubator strives to produce tech-solving, real-world problems — especially transportation-based solutions for cities and neighborhoods.

📸 Here's a snapshot of the companies now working inside the Book Depository:

Elevator pitch: "Google Maps for drones," CEO Michael Healander tells Axios.

The 50-plus-employee company is developing a traffic management system for unmanned aircraft.

Real-world application: Airspace is working with Beaumont Health to use drones to carry blood samples above a rail line from Birmingham to Royal Oak.

Elevator pitch: "Automating vehicle maintenance with robots and vision, starting with the tire-changing process," CEO Victor Darolfi says.

RoboTire, headquartered in Plymouth, is moving to Newlab next week to take advantage of the startup ecosystem and connect with other companies.

Real-world application: Its technology can change a set of four tires in about 20 minutes, Darolfi says.

Attendees at the Book Depository's launch event gather for opening remarks from Bill Ford and others. 

Attendees at the Book Depository's launch event gather for opening remarks from Bill Ford and others. Photo: Joe Guillen/Axios

Book Depository opening highlights next gen mobility innovation

Detroit is staking its claim as a center of mobility innovation.

A RoboTire bay demonstrates the company's tire-changing technology

A RoboTire bay demonstrates the company's tire-changing technology inside the Book Depository building. Photo: Joe Guillen/Axios

Transportation

Attendees at the Book Depository's launch event gather for opening remarks from Bill Ford and others

Detroit staked its claim as a center of mobility innovation yesterday with the opening of a hulking new tech incubator in Corktown.Why it matters: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="The historic Book Depository&#x27;s resurrection" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2023/04/25/restored-book-depository-building-detroit-ford" data-vars-content-id="08acdd0e-830f-4c06-ba2d-bcd848a3b989" data-vars-headline="Book Depository opening highlights next gen mobility innovation" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2023/04/25/restored-book-depository-building-detroit-ford" target="_self">The historic Book Depository&#x27;s resurrection</a> from a fire-damaged, vacant shell to a cutting-edge innovation hub represents the city&#x27;s post-bankruptcy ambitions to become a global leader in mobility and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="electric vehicle adoption" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2023/02/13/ev-revolution-equitable-charging-detroit-michigan" data-vars-content-id="08acdd0e-830f-4c06-ba2d-bcd848a3b989" data-vars-headline="Book Depository opening highlights next gen mobility innovation" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2023/02/13/ev-revolution-equitable-charging-detroit-michigan" target="_self">electric vehicle adoption</a>.

News

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Business

About 2,000 General Motors workers in Lansing joined the United Auto Workers' strike last Friday as the union continues to expand its historic work stoppage.

Driving the news: UAW President Shawn Fain announced the decision after saying ongoing contract negotiations didn't result in meaningful progress with GM and Ford last week.

Fain announced two additional strike locations: GM's Lansing factory — which makes the Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse — and a Ford factory in Chicago, affecting 7,000 workers overall.

The union did not expand its strike against Stellantis, saying the company that makes Jeep and Ram vehicles had made a substantial offer to the union, showing good progress toward a deal.

Why it matters: The addition of another in-state auto plant to the strike means that economic ripple effects, such as increased unemployment, will continue to play out here.

What they're saying: "Calling more strikes is just for the headlines, not real progress," a GM executive wrote to employees in Lansing, the Free Press reports.

"The number of people negatively impacted by these strikes is growing and includes our customers who buy and love the products we build."

Yes, but: The damage to the automakers is "relatively contained" because the plants that joined the strike make midsize SUVs — not highly profitable pickups and large SUVs, per the Freep.

Catch up quick: It's been two weeks since the UAW launched its unprecedented strike.

It initially targeted one assembly plant from each of the automakers.

Last week, the union expanded the strike to target 38 parts distribution centers operated by GM and Stellantis, including several in southeast Michigan. Fain said at the time that the union had made progress in talks with Ford, so the UAW was holding off on expanding the strike at its facilities.

But the additional walkouts Fain announced Friday mean that 25,000 workers, or 17% of UAW members at the Big Three, are now on strike.

State of play: The UAW is asking for a 36% pay increase and a return to traditional pensions and retiree health care.

Company leaders at GM and Stellantis have grown frustrated with what they see as a lack of participation from Fain and delays in receiving counterproposals from the UAW, CNBC reported.

Last week, President Biden joined striking UAW workers on the picket line in Belleville and expressed his support for their cause.

UAW strike expands in Michigan

17% of UAW members at the Big Three are now on strike.

Members of the UAW picket outside the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne last week. Photo: Matthew Hatcher/AFP via Getty Images

United Automobile Workers

About 2,000 General Motors workers in Lansing joined the United Auto Workers&#x27; strike last Friday as the union continues to expand its <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="historic work stoppage" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/09/22/uaw-strike-update-gm-ford-stellantis-shawn-fain" data-vars-content-id="8591732d-73c2-4363-85c8-838923f204ce" data-vars-headline="UAW strike expands in Michigan" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/09/22/uaw-strike-update-gm-ford-stellantis-shawn-fain" target="_self">historic work stoppage</a>.Driving the news: UAW President Shawn Fain announced the decision after saying ongoing contract negotiations didn&#x27;t result in meaningful progress with GM and Ford last week.

Data: Tax Foundation; Note: Select states offer sales tax rebates or exemptions instead of credits; Map: Axios Visuals

Federal tax credits for electric vehicle purchases are now dead, and Michigan isn't among the states that have their own tax breaks for EVs.

Why it matters: States differ in offering financial rewards and/or charging higher fees for EV users. That variation reflects an industry in flux, as policymakers try to balance environmental goals with the need for more funding to pay for roads and infrastructure.

Catch up quick: Biden-era federal tax credits on EV purchases — up to $7,500 for new EVs and up to $4,000 for pre-owned EVs — were killed by Congress, effective Sept. 30.

Yes, but: Tax credits and rebates aimed at increasing EV adoption sometimes run counter to other fees levied against EV owners, note researchers at the Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan think tank that mostly supports lower taxes.

Context: States fund most of their road and infrastructure budgets with revenue from gasoline taxes. Since EV owners don't pay gas taxes, 40 states have extra fees on battery-powered cars to ensure they pay their share for road maintenance.

Zoom in: Michigan's EV registration fee is currently $160 (or $60 for plug-in hybrids) on top of regular registration fees.

What to watch: Some experts say a better way to pay for roads is to institute a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) tax to charge everyone based on how much they drive.

How EV fees stack up in Michigan

Michigan isn't among the states that have their own tax breaks on EVs.

A choropleth map of U.S. states showing fees and taxes on new electric vehicles for 2025. 30 states have an EV registration fee. 5 states just have a tax credit. 11 states have both a fee and a credit, and 4 states have neither.

Federal tax credits for <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="electric vehicle purchases" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/10/01/ev-credit-electric-vehicle-sales-cost" data-vars-content-id="87d879a9-b1d5-4286-9aa1-ec0a0cd0fab1" data-vars-headline="How EV fees stack up in Michigan" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/10/01/ev-credit-electric-vehicle-sales-cost" target="_self">electric vehicle purchases</a> are now dead, and Michigan isn&#x27;t among the states that have their own tax breaks for EVs.Why it matters: States differ in offering financial rewards and/or charging higher fees for EV users. That variation reflects an industry in flux, as policymakers try to balance environmental goals with the need for more funding to pay for roads and infrastructure.

Transit

Data: Streetlight Data; Note: Top 30 cities by population from 2020 U.S. Census; Chart: Axios Visuals

Metro Detroit drivers tend to drive faster than the national average on major pedestrian roadways, making those streets more dangerous for people on foot.

Why it matters: Just 19.8% of our region's major pedestrian roadways have average vehicle speeds under 25 mph, compared with the national average of 36%, Axios' Joann Muller reports.

Pedestrians are twice as likely to be killed in a collision when a car is traveling at 30 mph compared with 20 mph, and over five times more likely when the car is driving 40 mph, according to data from the AAA Foundation.

Driving the news: The finding is based on a report from StreetLight Data, which tracks mobility trends using anonymized cellphone data and other sources.

The group's objective was to understand how fast vehicles are actually going and the impact on pedestrian safety, creating what it calls a "Safe Speed Index."

The biggest danger zone? Fast-moving roads alongside busy retail and service areas with lots of foot traffic. Take, for instance, infamously hazardous Gratiot Avenue.

By the numbers: Michigan had 1.78 pedestrian fatalities per 100,000 residents in 2022, compared with a national rate of 2.28, according to a separate report from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA).

At least 7,508 pedestrians were struck and killed by cars in the U.S. in 2022 — the most in 41 years.

Zoom in: Detroit had the third highest pedestrian fatality rate of large U.S. cities in 2020, per a city report.

Metro Detroiters drive faster than the national average

Just 19.8% of major pedestrian roadways here have average vehicle speeds under 25 mph.

Metro Detroit drivers tend to drive faster than the national average on major pedestrian roadways, making those streets more dangerous for people on foot.Why it matters: Just 19.8% of our region&#x27;s major pedestrian roadways have average vehicle speeds under 25 mph, compared with the national average of 36%, Axios&#x27; Joann Muller reports.

A carsharing pilot program in Detroit is exploring whether rental cars delivered by remote drivers could help improve transportation access for city residents.

Why it matters: Many urban residents don't have access to a car, which can mean missed medical appointments, limited job opportunities and even difficulty getting groceries.

Public transit isn't always convenient, Uber can be expensive and carsharing companies like Zipcar require large, distributed fleets.

Tele-operated carshare could be more convenient, by enabling people to summon a car from a vehicle depot on demand. 

An empty car would come to you, then you'd hop in and drive away. When you're finished, a remote driver would guide it back to a depot.

In Las Vegas, a couple of tele-op carsharing services are already operating, including Vay, which is expanding its fleet to 100 vehicles, and Halo.

The services aim to reduce traffic jams and parking headaches while boosting EV utilization.

Zoom in: Corktown Carshare, operating in Detroit's Transportation Innovation Zone (TIZ) near Michigan Central Station, is a partnership between Sway Mobility and Mapless AI.

It's funded by the State of Michigan's Office of Future Mobility and Electrification and NextEnergy.

The goal is to demonstrate the benefits of tele-operated electric vehicle carsharing, and to create a blueprint for similar programs in other cities.

Reality check: For now, the pilot is extremely limited. There's just one vehicle operating in a two-square-mile area in Corktown, and participation is limited to a small group of early testers.

But it's typical of the types of mobility experiments under way at Michigan Central's Newlab innovation hub.

How it works: The test car — an electric Kia Niro — is outfitted with four cameras and a roof-mounted lidar system.

The cameras provide a 360-degree view around the car to a remote driver controlling the vehicle in Pittsburgh, 300 miles away. 

The "driver" is sitting at a desk, with four video monitors, a steering wheel and pedals for acceleration and braking.

Signals are transmitted to the car over ordinary cellular networks, which raises the potential for latency issues — a dropped signal, even for just a second, could have serious safety consequences. 

Mapless AI Co-founder and CEO Philipp Robbel says their system links multiple cellular networks together for redundancy to prevent that from happening. 

"We've had zero issues with latency in the TIZ," he said, even during big events like the Detroit auto show when cellular networks can become saturated.

If there is a connectivity issue, the system automatically shifts into a "fail-operational mode" and will bring the vehicle to a safe stop, he said. 

💭 Joann's thought bubble: I let Christian, a Mapless AI employee in Pittsburgh, remotely drive me around Corktown on a recent morning. (A safety driver, Jason, was with me in the driver's seat, but didn't touch the wheel.)

Traffic was light, and except for dodging an occasional pedestrian, the ride was remarkably smooth and seamless.

The only dicey moment occurred when Christian had to remotely guide my car through the narrow space between a parked car and an idling truck in front of Michigan Central. No sweat.

What to watch: After a three- to six-month pilot, Sway Mobility CEO Michael Peters envisions a larger fleet of tele-operated EVs for hire and new charging depots around the city. 

Scoop: Detroit carsharing pilot delivers rentals by remote control

An empty car comes to you, then you hop in and drive away.

Image of a white Kia Niro EV, with Corktown Carshare on the side, driving along Michigan Avenue in Detroit. 

Corktown Carshare is piloting a remote-driven rental car service in Detroit. Photo courtesy of Corktown Carshare.

A carsharing pilot program in Detroit is exploring whether rental cars delivered by <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="remote drivers" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2021/07/09/driverless-remote-control-taxis-las-vegas-halo" data-vars-content-id="ce18bd75-d42e-4425-9939-445891928941" data-vars-headline="Scoop: Detroit carsharing pilot delivers rentals by remote control" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2021/07/09/driverless-remote-control-taxis-las-vegas-halo" target="_self">remote drivers</a> could help improve transportation access for city residents.Why it matters: Many urban residents don&#x27;t have access to a car, which can mean missed medical appointments, limited job opportunities and even difficulty getting groceries.

Joann Muller

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