The real process of creating an idea, making it a reality, testing it, proving it and then commercializing it is what drives business and our world forward.
In 2020, Hillwood partnered with Deloitte to launch the Mobility Innovation Zone (MIZ) at AllianceTexas as a unique “Do Tank” leading the nation in delivering intelligent infrastructure to create a digital and physical commercialization environment for partner companies. The MIZ connects people, places and ideas that drive innovations in surface and air mobility by using its unique infrastructure. It gives mobility visionaries unrestricted access to an unprecedented test ecosystem, resources and partnerships essential for comprehensive testing, scaling and partnerships commercializing the latest mobility technologies.
“Implementing and commercializing next-generation mobility initiatives like autonomous parcel delivery drones is much closer than you think,” said Russell Laughlin, executive vice president of Hillwood. “What we are telling people today is that we are not years away, we are months or even weeks away from some of these things happening.”
In fact, TuSimple, a global technology company focused on self-driving heavy-duty trucks, is launching an expanded autonomous truck operation from the MIZ with a freight terminal developed by Hillwood. This facility will support the company’s continued expansion into the Texas Triangle (Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Austin) and connect to TuSimple’s autonomous freight corridor with routes beginning this year.
“The AllianceTexas Mobility Innovation Zone provides the company with the perfect infrastructure, landscape and size to begin its national expansion and operations in the Texas Triangle,” said Greg Abbott, Texas Governor, in an announcement announcing the partnership between this autonomous truck innovator and Hillwood.
“Companies like TuSimple are drawn to the unique opportunity of being within AllianceTexas,” said Lee White, TuSimple’s vice president of strategy. “TuSimple is building the world’s first autonomous freight network, and an important part of our strategy is security.” suitable locations for our terminals. The Mobility Innovation Zone is exactly what we were looking for. “
“This is one of the most unique properties and infrastructure in the US,” said Ian Kinne, director of logistics innovation at Hillwood. “We are developing an ecosystem of technology-based logistics facilities right between two 11,000 foot runways and one of the largest inland ports in the world with close proximity to I-35W, I-30 and highways 114 and 170. This is an unmatched environment for our partners to commercialize revolutionary logistics technology. ”
The cradle of innovation that the MIZ offers flies from the ground into the air in commercialized possibilities.
Bell is one of the few companies currently doing flight test activities at the newly established AllianceTexas Flight Test Center with its Autonomous Pod Transport (APT). Bell’s APT program, designed for a variety of missions from package delivery to critical medical transportation to disaster relief, will pave the way for future commercial operations to address the supply chain challenges our world is currently facing.
“Bell is proud to partner with Hillwood and have the opportunity to test our aircraft in our own backyard in Dallas-Fort Worth,” said John Wittmaak, program manager, Small-Medium UAS. “AllianceTexas provides a unique test site for the Bell Autonomous Pod Transport to improve the autonomous functions of the aircraft.”
Testing and launching the APT program, which is a unique partnership between Bell, Hillwood, BNSF and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), provides the opportunity to take advantage of airborne goods traffic and create the standards by which they will operate straighten work. “In this case, Bell is providing the airframe, the BNSF the way and the FAA with the necessary approval and oversight. This type of unique partnership is essential and will help bring cutting-edge technology to North Texas,” said Christopher Ash, vice president of business development from Alliance Air Services / Fort Worth Alliance Airport. “Hillwood serves as a facilitator in creating and maintaining an ecosystem that will one day attract manufacturers and ultimately bring those vehicles to market.”
“Our goal is to create an environment that will attract small unmanned aerial vehicle systems (SUAS) manufacturers to North Texas. We want to support the process as they go through the flight test certification and integration process with the National Airspace System (NAS) when they’re done you can deliver goods to your door, “added Ash.
“Whether on the ground or the air side, the AllianceTexas portfolio, the complex airspace, the geographic location with the mass population of DFW – all of these things create this unique ecosystem and set us apart.”
Activities in the MIZ include technological advances in short-haul trucks or drayage with autonomous movements in the yard and on the truck parking spaces. Innovations here will help connect and enable end-to-end autonomy of inbound goods from ports like Long Beach, California to distribution centers like those of AllianceTexas, making the opportunity for commercial applications across the country viable.
“At MIZ, especially in service use applications, everything revolves around the commercialization of these new technologies,” said Kinne. “The MIZ was designed to be used for so much more than just testing. It brings about innovative, innovative ideas that people across the country can see in their daily lives. That is the key to why we are different from everyone else. ” Incubator all over the world. ” For more information on the AllianceTexas Mobility Innovation Zone, please visit www.alliancetexasmiz.com
