New Autonomous Vehicle Research and Development Center

For Immediate Release:
May 8, 2018
NEWS RELEASE

COLUMBUS  - JobsOhio’s latest Research & Development (R&D) Center Grant is focused on advancing autonomous vehicles in Ohio. $2 million will be awarded to Columbus-based Pillar Technology, who plans to use the economic development grant to accelerate the advancement of revolutionary intellectual property related to the development, testing and validation of connected, autonomous, and electric vehicles. The R&D Center Grant Program allows JobsOhio to make strategic investments in new R&D centers that support targeted industries and the evolution of the Ohio economy.

“Pillar Technology could have chosen anywhere for its new Center of Mobility, but it chose Ohio,” said JobsOhio Senior Managing Director for Automotive Kristi Tanner. “The revolutionary work Pillar is doing to accelerate autonomous vehicle technology is positioning it as an emerging world leader in this field, and it’s happening here in Ohio.”

The exact location of the autonomous vehicle research and development center has not yet been determined, but Pillar is committed to building it in Central Ohio and is currently narrowing down final site options. Pillar will drive the creation of the Center, which is expected to create at least 25 new jobs by 2022 and will act as an open and collaborative area to assemble the Columbus automotive and tech communities.

Pillar Technology’s 20 years of experience uncovering and executing industry-disrupting opportunities at lightning speed makes them an ideal partner for a venture focused on moving autonomous technology to the next level.

"We are making a significant investment in mobility because we believe this is the space race of our generation,” explained Pillar Technology’s Chief Executive Officer, Bob Myers. “We have spent years working on making embedded software smart, and now we have the opportunity to help the industry scale their ability to build and validate game changing solutions. We believe this technology has the ability to save millions of lives.”

The Columbus region is an emerging hub for smart vehicle technologies. In 2017, JobsOhio, along with the State of Ohio and The Ohio State University, invested $45 million for the first phase of a state-of-the-art hub for automated and autonomous testing at the Transportation Research Center (TRC). In addition, U.S. 33 will soon be one of the country’s longest highways ready for autonomous and connected driving.

About Pillar Technology

Pillar Technology is a technology consulting company with more than 20 years of experience uncovering and executing industry-disrupting opportunities. The organization is made up of developers, engineers, designers, digital experience architects, and thought leaders who understand the business value of complex initiatives and solve complicated problems through exceptional digital solutions. Pillar’s four physical Forge (collaborative work environment) locations include Columbus, Detroit, Des Moines, and a listening post in Silicon Valley. For more information, go to https://pillartechnology.com/.

About JobsOhio

JobsOhio is a private, nonprofit corporation designed to drive job creation and new capital investment in Ohio through business attraction, retention and expansion efforts. JobsOhio works with six regional partners across Ohio: Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth, Columbus 2020, Dayton Development Coalition, REDI Cincinnati, Regional Growth Partnership and Team NEO. Learn more at www.jobsohio.com. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

###

For more media inquiries, contact:
Matt Englehart, JobsOhio
(614) 300-1152
englehart@jobsohio.com