Ford is among nine autonomous vehicle and auto companies on an advisory board for the project.
Eventually, autonomous buses and shuttles would run along the Interstate 94 corridor, linking the University of Michigan to Detroit Metropolitan Airport and the citys downtown.
Tech and auto companies that favor running the vehicles with normal traffic seem to be winning, Walker Smith said, although that has eased as expectations for autonomous vehicles have become more realistic.
Vehicles and autonomous driving systems used by all companies would be able to use the lanes, provided they meet standards, Winer said.
The company plans to build a prototype freeway lane at the American Center for Mobility, an autonomous vehicle testing area Ypsilanti, Michigan, he said, adding that the study will consider how to handle wildlife or humans entering the dedicated lanes.