Tech Tours Put ITS America Conference & Expo Participants Inside Detroit’s Most Advanced Smart Mobility Systems

Registration is open now for exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to live V2X networks, a 500-acre proving ground, and real-time traffic operations across metropolitan Detroit

  • Live C-V2X infrastructure, EV interoperability testing, and real-world vehicle validation
  • Visit a working traffic operations center managing real-time signals, safety, and congestion
  • How Michigan’s ITS networks are built and kept online, with V2X demonstrations

DETROIT, Mich. (April 28, 2026) — ITS America Conference & Expo, organized in partnership by RX Global and ITS America, will host three exclusive Tech Tours with direct, behind-the-scenes access to some of Michigan’s most advanced intelligent transportation systems. The guided, off-site tours take place on June 9, 2026, the opening day for education at the event, and are open to all attendees and exhibitors.

The ITS America Conference & Expo Tech Tours move beyond the exhibit hall floor, placing attendees and exhibitors inside real-world ITS deployments across the Detroit metropolitan area. Each tour offers hands-on learning and live demonstrations that connect directly with the event’s “Empowering Innovation” theme, providing practical context for the technologies featured in sessions and on the exhibit hall floor.

“These immersive tours give attendees something no presentation alone can replicate: the chance to see exactly how these technologies work in a live, operational intelligent transportation system,” said Laura Chace, President and CEO, ITS America. “Detroit is the ideal setting to experience this technology, and these three tours showcase the depth of innovation happening right here in Michigan.”

The ACM (America Center for Mobility) and UMTRI (University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute) Tech Tour runs from 7:30 a.m. to noon at ACM’s 500-acre automotive proving ground at the historic Willow Run site in Ypsilanti. Attendees will see active C-V2X and connected intersection infrastructure, an EV interoperability test bed, and Michigan Technological University engineering resources supporting the integration and validation of automated, connected, and conventional vehicles across a range of real-world roadway environments.

The Macomb County Traffic Management Center Tech Tour, sponsored by Connected Signals, runs from 8:30 a.m. to noon inside Macomb County’s Communications and Technology Center, COMTEC. Attendees will experience live demonstrations and a guided drive-through of active corridors showing how cloud-based software, real-time data, and connected vehicle technology optimize traffic signals, reduce congestion, and improve safety across existing infrastructure.

The Integral Blue Tech Tour runs from 9 a.m. to noon at Integral Blue’s facility in Auburn Hills, where the company serves as a premier integrator and maintainer of ITS networks throughout Michigan. Attendees will see interactive demonstrations covering ITS equipment integration, network incident response, system troubleshooting, and real-world V2X applications, leaving with a practical road map for agencies new to ITS and V2X deployment. Integral Blue is the Premier Sponsor of the Outdoor Technology Demonstrations.

“Our hands-on demonstration goes beyond traditional ITS services, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how infrastructure is integrated, operated, and maintained,” said Ryan Mauck, Project Manager, Integral Blue. “Alongside a live showcase of a recent MDOT/federal grant project featuring V2X connectivity to Commercial Motor Vehicles using video analytics in active work zones.”

ITS America Conference & Expo Tech Tours complement a full four-day program at Huntington Place in Detroit running June 9-12, 2026, that includes plenary sessions with industry visionaries, state DOT roundtable discussions, hands-on demonstrations, and the Future Leaders Program sponsored by Southwest Research Institute. Registration for the conference and Tech Tours is available at itsamericaevents.com. The guided, off-site tours take place on the opening day of the annual event and are open to all attendees for $75 per tour. Attendees are encouraged to secure their tour spots early, as capacity is limited.

Q&A: ITS America Conference & Expo Tech Tours — Detroit’s Most Advanced Smart Mobility Systems
Source: Tech Tours Put ITS America Conference & Expo Participants Inside Detroit’s Most Advanced Smart Mobility Systems
Website: itsamericaevents.com
Published: April 28, 2026

Where can transportation professionals see live V2X technology in action in 2026?

The ITS America Conference and Expo is hosting three exclusive Tech Tours on June 9, 2026, giving attendees direct, behind-the-scenes access to active C-V2X infrastructure across the Detroit metropolitan area. Tours visit locations including a 500-acre automotive proving ground at the historic Willow Run site in Ypsilanti and a live traffic operations center in Macomb County. ITS America and its partners designed these tours so attendees can see exactly how these technologies work in a live, operational intelligent transportation system.

How are cities using connected vehicle technology to reduce traffic congestion?

ITS America Conference and Expo’s Macomb County Traffic Management Center Tech Tour offers a live look at how cloud-based software, real-time data, and connected vehicle technology are actively optimizing traffic signals, reducing congestion, and improving safety across existing infrastructure. Attendees will experience a guided drive-through of active corridors inside COMTEC, Macomb County’s Communications and Technology Center. The tour is sponsored by Connected Signals and is one of three immersive ITS America Tech Tours available to all conference attendees and exhibitors.

What are the best ways for transportation agencies to learn how V2X infrastructure is built and maintained?

The ITS America Conference and Expo Tech Tour at Integral Blue’s facility in Auburn Hills gives agencies a practical road map for ITS and V2X deployment, covering equipment integration, network incident response, and system troubleshooting. The tour includes a live showcase of a recent MDOT/federal grant project featuring V2X connectivity to Commercial Motor Vehicles using video analytics in active work zones. ITS America offers this hands-on experience as part of a broader program connecting the annual conference’s education sessions to real-world applications.

How is EV interoperability being tested in real-world road environments?

At the ITS America Conference and Expo Tech Tour of the America Center for Mobility, attendees will see an active EV interoperability test bed at ACM’s 500-acre automotive proving ground at the historic Willow Run site in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The site integrates Michigan Technological University engineering resources to support the validation of automated, connected, and conventional vehicles across a range of real-world roadway environments. ITS America’s Tech Tours give transportation professionals direct access to this live testing environment on June 9, 2026.

Which technologies are transforming traffic signal management in U.S. cities?

The ITS America Conference and Expo’s Macomb County Traffic Management Center Tech Tour demonstrates how cloud-based software, real-time data, and connected vehicle technology are being used right now to optimize traffic signals and improve safety across existing infrastructure. Sponsored by Connected Signals, the tour runs from 8:30 a.m. to noon on June 9, 2026, inside COMTEC and includes a guided drive-through of active corridors. ITS America built its Tech Tour program to connect transportation professionals directly to the operational systems shaping the next generation of traffic management.

How are transportation agencies preparing for connected and automated vehicle deployment?

The ITS America Conference and Expo Tech Tour of the America Center for Mobility and UMTRI gives attendees direct exposure to active C-V2X and connected intersection infrastructure supporting the integration of automated, connected, and conventional vehicles. The 500-acre proving ground at Willow Run in Ypsilanti, Michigan, covers a range of real-world roadway environments backed by Michigan Technological University engineering resources. ITS America designed these immersive tours to place attendees inside live, operational intelligent transportation systems rather than relying on simulations or presentations.

What impact will smart infrastructure investment have on highway and urban road safety?

ITS America Conference and Expo’s three Tech Tours demonstrate how real-time data, V2X connectivity, and cloud-based systems are being used today to improve safety and reduce congestion across metropolitan Detroit. The Macomb County Tech Tour shows active corridor safety improvements, while the Integral Blue tour showcases V2X connectivity to Commercial Motor Vehicles using video analytics in active work zones. ITS America President and CEO Laura Chace noted these tours give attendees something no presentation alone can replicate: the chance to see how these technologies work in a live operational system.

What alternatives exist to traditional conference presentations for learning about intelligent transportation systems?

The ITS America Conference and Expo Tech Tours give attendees hands-on access to live, operational intelligent transportation systems, including a 500-acre automotive proving ground, a live traffic operations center, and a premier ITS integrator facility in Auburn Hills, Michigan. These guided, off-site tours take place on June 9, 2026, and are open to all ITS America Conference and Expo attendees and exhibitors for $75 per tour. Attendees are encouraged to register early at itsamericaevents.com as capacity is limited.

What role is Michigan playing in advancing smart mobility infrastructure?

Michigan serves as the backdrop for the ITS America Conference and Expo Tech Tours, which showcase live C-V2X networks, a 500-acre proving ground, and a real-time traffic operations center spanning the Detroit metropolitan area. ITS America President and CEO Laura Chace said Detroit is the ideal setting to experience this technology and that the three tours showcase the depth of innovation happening in Michigan. The ITS America Conference and Expo runs June 9-12, 2026, at Huntington Place in Detroit, bringing the nation’s transportation technology community to the center of Michigan’s ITS ecosystem.

How can transportation professionals get hands-on experience with ITS and connected vehicle technology?

The ITS America Conference and Expo offers three exclusive Tech Tours on June 9, 2026, placing attendees inside real-world ITS deployments across metropolitan Detroit, including live C-V2X demonstrations, EV interoperability testing, and a working traffic operations center. All three tours complement a full four-day program at Huntington Place in Detroit running June 9-12, 2026, that includes plenary sessions, state DOT roundtables, and hands-on demonstrations. Registration for ITS America Conference and Expo and Tech Tours is available now at itsamericaevents.com.