PPG Partners with University of Michigan’s Mcity for Autonomous Vehicle Testing, Research

Company becomes first paint and coatings manufacturer to support
world-renowned autonomous testing facility

PITTSBURGH–(BUSINESS WIRE)–PPG (NYSE: PPG) today announced its partnership with the University of
Michigan’s (U-M’s) Mcity, a public-private partnership that brings
together industry, government and academia to improve transportation
safety, sustainability and accessibility for the benefit of the society.
Mcity’s work includes operating the Mcity Test Facility, which is the
world’s first purpose-built proving ground for testing autonomous
vehicles, connected-vehicle systems and related technologies. PPG is the
first paints and coatings manufacturer to join the Mcity partnership.

A leader in advanced paints and coatings technologies for the automotive
industry, PPG is developing a broad portfolio of coatings to improve
functionality and enable broad deployment of autonomous vehicles. These
developments include exterior coatings that enhance vehicle visibility
to radar and light detection and ranging (LIDAR) systems, as well as
easy-to-clean coatings that help prevent obstruction of autonomous
vehicle sensors. PPG will highlight these technologies at the North
American International Auto Show (NAIAS) Jan. 14-20 at Cobo Center in
Detroit.

The Mcity Test Facility, which opened in 2015, was developed by U-M with
support from the Michigan Department of Transportation. The facility
aims to re-create a range of operating challenges faced by vehicles on
the road with simulated urban and suburban environments. Sitting on a
32-acre site on U-M’s North Campus, the facility offers more than 16
acres of roads and traffic infrastructure, including approximately five
lane-miles of roads with intersections, traffic signals, street
lighting, sidewalks, fire hydrants, simulated buildings and obstacles
like construction barriers and pedestrian crash dummies. In addition to
operating the test facility, Mcity also funds academic research and
works with its partners to deploy connected and automated vehicles in
Ann Arbor and Southeast Michigan.

“Autonomous vehicle technology offers numerous real-world advantages,
and the ability to test such technologies safely and thoroughly is
essential for proving the viability of advanced mobility solutions,”
said Huei Peng, director, Mcity. “Our state-of-the-art facility offers a
controlled environment for manufacturers like PPG to develop and hone
the capabilities of autonomous vehicles and related technologies, while
also providing them access to a variety of valuable tools and resources.
We’re excited to have PPG be part of this journey.”

Added Gary Danowski, PPG vice president, Automotive OEM Coatings,
“Specialized coatings will play an integral role in the development of
safe and reliable driverless vehicles. We are enthusiastic about this
partnership and are always actively seeking additional R&D partners as
we continue to explore new possibilities in emerging vehicle
technologies.”

The agreement provides PPG with access to resources such as Mcity lab
and project data; research and deployment assets; an independent forum
of suppliers, manufacturers and end users; university expertise related
to legal, regulatory and social issues; and Mcity research review
meetings and the annual Mcity Congress.

To learn more, visit mcity.umich.edu
or newsroom.ppg.com/detroitautoshow18.

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At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints,
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forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in
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Contacts

PPG Media Contacts:
Automotive OEM Coatings
Mike Millar,
+1-248-641-2237
[email protected]
or
Corporate
Communications
Greta Edgar, +1 412-434-2445
[email protected]
www.ppg.com