30 | MARCH 11 • 2021 

A specially equipped 
Lincoln MKZ, based at 
Mcity, is an open-source 
connected and automated 
research vehicle available 
to U-M faculty and 
students, startups and 
others to help accelerate 
innovation. 

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MCITY

business SPOTlight

brought to you in partnership with 
B I R M I N G H A M

 

I

f you spot a car operating 
without a driver on the 
University of Michigan’s 
North Campus in the coming 
months, you might try 
greeting it with a friendly, 
Ma nishmah, achi? (What’s 
up, my brother?) That’s 
because U-M has entered a 
yearlong partnership with 
Israeli startup Foresight to 
develop autonomous vehicle 
technology. 
The partnership is part of 
a program called TechLab, 
which selects companies in 
the field of self-driving cars 
to work with teams of elite 
U-M engineering students. 
It’s hosted at MCity, the 
university’s dedicated proving 

ground for autonomous 
vehicles. 
Foresight, a company 
founded in 2016 is “very 
thrilled” by the both the 
technical help and business 
opportunities the program 
provides. It is 
based in Ness 
Ziona, south of 
Tel Aviv.
“We get 
help with 
development … 
access to the test 
facility and access 
to a network of companies 
in Michigan,” said Doron 
Cohadier, vice president of 
business development for 
Foresight. 

U-M students, for their part, 
get hands-on training and 
networking opportunities with 
companies at the cutting edge 
of their field. Many students 
who have taken part in past 
cohorts now work directly in 
the burgeoning field of self-
driving technology. 
“We’re really proud that 
it’s reached the entire globe 
of startups in our industry 
and created an ecosystem in 
Southeast Michigan,” said Nick 
Moroz, assistant director of 

entrepreneurial 
practice at 
U-M’s Center for 
Entrepreneurship.
TechLab looks 
for companies 
addressing key 
challenges facing 
fully autonomous vehicles, 
Moroz said. Foresight is 
focused on improving self-
driving cars’ ability to see 
in inclement weather and 
challenging lighting. Its 
algorithm integrates readings 

Foresight
for the Future

Israeli automotive tech fi
 rm 
sets up partnership with U-M.

DAVID ZENLEA SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

The Mcity Driverless Shuttle 
carries passengers on U-M’s 
North Campus. 

Nick 
Moroz

U-M

Doron 
Cohadier

FORESIGHT

