US university agrees $1m research project with DiDi Chuxing
The University of Michigan (U-M) has signed a research agreement with China's largest ride-hailing company DiDi Chuxing, for a $1m, three-year programme exploring "transportation optimisation, big data, artificial language learning and artificial intelligence" to reduce congestion and better understand transportation behaviour. The university has also signed a memorandum of understanding with Tus-International and TusStar, part of Beijing firm Tus-Holdings, and has agreed to establish the Global Collaboratory in Advanced Manufacturing in a $25m, five-year partnership with the Beijing Institute of Collaborative Innovation and Peking University.

The University of Michigan (U-M) will collaborate with Chinese institutions to advance research, development and deployment of new transportation technologies and cutting-edge innovations. S. Jack Hu, U-M vice president for research, signed a research agreement with DiDi Chuxing, China’s largest rider-hailing company, to develop scholarships and innovations related to the share economy. U-M is the first university in the US to partner with DiDi.

The nearly $1-million, three-year joint research program focuses on transportation optimization, big data, artificial language learning and artificial intelligence. It aims to better understand transportation behaviors norms, reduce congestion on the global transportation infrastructure and provide solutions to mobility.

Earlier, U-M signed a memorandum of understanding with Tus-International and TusStar, aiming for partnerships on smart mobility, medicine and new technology deployment. Both companies are part of Beijing-based Tus-Holdings, the Tsinghua University-backed science-park developer.

Also, U-M finalized an agreement to establish the Global Collaboratory in Advanced Manufacturing with Beijing Institute of Collaborative Innovation (BICI) and Peking University.

Funding for the five-year, $25-million partnership will be provided by BICI. The goal of the collaboratory is to create fundamental knowledge and innovative technologies in smart, open and sustainable manufacturing. It leverages technological advancements such as the industrial internet of things, rapid response and automated manufacturing machines. Research is expected to be undertaken at three sites: U-M, BICI and Peking University.