As Waymo prepares to deploy robotaxis in Detroit, the company has been meeting with city and state officials about how the service will operate locally once it hits the road.

Why it matters: Michigan's permissive framework for autonomous vehicles means no single governmental entity is fully in charge of how they integrate into city streets.

• That challenge grows as deployments scale from testing to potentially hundreds of vehicles.

What they're saying: Waymo's current testing phase has little impact on city operations, Henry Liu, director of Mcity at U-M, tells Axios.

• But that will change as the service expands.
• "How do you manage the emergency response? If one vehicle is stopped, not moving, who is going to move that and what type of equipment will be needed?"

The big picture: Similar coordination challenges have surfaced in other cities, including Austin, where a Waymo vehicle briefly blocked an ambulance responding to a mass shooting in March.

Zoom in: In Detroit, Waymo is testing autonomous vehicles with a trained specialist at the wheel and plans to transition to fully driverless operations later this year. It has not said when rides will be available to the public.

State of play: The company plans to operate within Detroit's existing infrastructure and has met "multiple times" with city and state officials to discuss safety and accessibility benefits, spokesperson Chris Bonelli tells Axios.

The other side: Detroit officials say they're drawing lessons from the city's own autonomous vehicle pilots, including programs focused on cold weather and service for seniors and residents with disabilities.

• "We see great promise in this technology and will continue to work to ensure that safe, inclusive, and reliable transportation technologies benefit all Detroiters," the city's Office of Mobility Innovation said in a statement.

Between the lines: Regulatory authority over Waymo's arrival in Detroit is fragmented.

• Enforcement of traffic laws is handled by local law enforcement, while vehicle safety is regulated federally by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The bottom line: With no single entity in charge, Waymo's success in Detroit may hinge on coordination as much as the technology itself.

Southwest Detroit's annual Cinco de Mayo celebration returns this weekend with a fiesta and its massive parade bearing floats, musicians and politicians.

The big picture: This year's theme — Estamos Unidos, or "We are United" — is highly important, says Alma Cruz, president of the Mexican Patriotic Committee of Metro Detroit that organizes the event.

If you go: The 2.4-mile parade runs noon-3pm along West Vernor Highway from Patton Park to Clark Park. This year's grand marshal is local community advocate Jesse Gonzales Sr.

• A fiesta noon-8pm Saturday and Sunday at Patton Rec Center will include folk dancers, mariachi performances, food, small business vendors and other entertainment.

Asked about any concerns regarding ICE, Cruz says the group partners with private security guards and Detroit police to keep attendees safe and has "taken all the steps to make sure … there's no disruptions."

Other family-oriented Cinco de Mayo events include:

🏃 Cinco de Mile: The 5K fun run for mental health awareness is at 9am Saturday at Patton Park, with packet pickup starting at 8am. Tickets are $40.

🎉 Celebration in Saginaw: The city's 47th annual festival and parade is all day Saturday, starting at 10:30am, with food trucks, live music and folkloric dancers, per MLive.

🛍️ Feria del 5 de Mayo: The fifth annual fair organized by local service provider Centro Multicultural La Familia will have food, other vendors and family activities, 4-8pm May 8.

🦋 Monarch butterflies have landed in Michigan! They've been spotted near St. Clair Shores and in Grand Rapids, among other areas. (Free Press)

⚱️ Lynch & Sons Funeral Directors has acquired the former Perry Funeral Home in Detroit that closed in 2018 after a lawsuit over mishandling of infant remains. Lynch & Sons plans to renovate and reopen the building. (WDIV)

🍕 Gas station eatery Saroki's Crispy Chicken & Pizza is opening a new location downtown inside Griswold Market & Spirits near Campus Martius. (Metro Times)

💡 Quote du jour

"We know he knows a lot, but not this much."

The data center project planned in Saline Township has secured financing, per MLive, after hitting a reported financing snag late last year.

Driving the news: Related Digital, a data center developer and investor, announced last week it secured financing for the $16 billion project that's part of ChatGPT creator OpenAI's work with tech giant Oracle.

• Financing includes equity from Related and giant asset manager Blackstone.

Catch up quick: The controversial project started construction last fall. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has supported it, saying data centers are part of America's future.

• But it has seen pushback from some residents over utility use, transparency and environmental concerns.

The Pistons are one loss away from an early playoff exit after last night's 94-88 loss to the Orlando Magic.

State of play: The Magic took a 3-1 series lead and can end Detroit's season with a Game 5 win at 7pm tomorrow at Little Caesars Arena.

Between the lines: Detroit had plenty of chances to mount a late comeback, but couldn't make enough shots and only scored 19 points in the fourth quarter.

The bottom line: The No. 1-seeded Pistons need to win three straight to take the series and keep their season alive.