Another state gets serious about self-driving cars

Ohio Gov. John Kasich talks about the state's efforts to get in on self-driving cars (Photo: Chrissie Thompson/Cincinnati Enquirer) COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Add the Buckeye State to the list of those getting serious about self-driving cars. An automotive test track and proving ground in central Ohio –- the country's largest not owned by an automaker -– will update to allow the testing of self-driving vehicles using $45 million in state grants. With the investment, the Transportation Research Center in East Liberty, which partners with Ohio State University, aligns itself with the auto industry's thrust to bring autonomous vehicles to mainstream car buyers. The TRC plans to build the industry's largest high-speed intersection, where connected vehicles can approach at full speed while relying on technology to allow them to pass within seconds of each other. The facility will also feature an urban network with traffic lights and roundabouts, plus a rural section with wooded roads.