Posted by STEER On April 23, 2018
STEER Powers the new MERRIWEATHER District in Downtown Columbial The first Mixed-Use planned community partner.
The Collaboration Will Bring Level 4, Driverless Parking Technology to
Residents and Corporate Tenants
Columbia, MD (April 30, 2018) – Every day drivers are pressed for time. From the moment one steps in the car, it seems they are fighting a continuous increase in everything from rush hour traffic to congested parking lots. In fact, last year the Washington area was named the worst traffic “hot spot” in the country with motorists losing an average of 33 minutes daily on Route 95. STEER set out to create a seamless end-to-end driver experience focusing on an automated parking solution, which will first benefit Maryland area-residents and businesses.
STEER built the first fully-autonomous parking technology to transform everyday cars into driverless vehicles. The first application of STEER’s technology is a Level 4, highly autonomous and cybersecure parking solution – drivers simply exit the car at a destination, and the car parks itself in a designated parking lot. When consumers are ready to go, just summon the car via a mobile app.
The Merriweather District, a Howard Hughes Corporation project, will be the first high-density, mixed-use neighborhood to adopt STEER and power a truly tech-forward experience for residents, businesses and consumers.
“Our partnership with Howard Hughes Corporation will transform Merriweather District into the first city in the country to be built for, and operate, fully-autonomous parking technology,” said Anuja Sonalker, Founder and CEO of STEER. “The benefits are infinite; Merriweather residents can save time and gas getting to and from their cars; reduce stress and frustration hauling bags of groceries in inclement weather; and corporate partners will benefit from increased employee productivity by saving time and frustration looking for and walking from the parking lot to work.”
The Merriweather District project will include 2,300 residences, a 250-room hotel, over 1.5 million square feet of office space, and 314,000 square feet of street retail with a central park. Occupancy is scheduled for the second half of 2019.
“As a company, we are committed to developing cities and neighborhoods to allow people to live better lives while simultaneously building for the future,” said David R. Weinreb, CEO, The Howard Hughes Corporation. “It is a testament to this commitment that Merriweather District already attracted leading tech-innovators like STEER to bring this vision to reality for our tenants.”
“Smart communities begin with smart growth, and smart growth begins with high efficiency infrastructure and reduced waste. STEER’s automated technology embedded in the community saves valuable time, creates efficiency for consumers and businesses, and reduces fuel costs,” added Sonalker.
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About The Howard Hughes Corporation®
The Howard Hughes Corporation owns, manages and develops commercial, residential and mixed-use real estate throughout the U.S. Its award-winning assets include the country’s preeminent portfolio of master planned communities, as well as operating properties and development opportunities including: The Seaport District in New York; Columbia, Maryland; The Woodlands®, The Woodlands Hills, and Bridgeland® in the Greater Houston, Texas area; Summerlin®, Las Vegas; and Ward Village® in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Howard Hughes Corporation’s portfolio is strategically positioned to meet and accelerate development based on market demand, resulting in one of the strongest real estate platforms in the country. Dedicated to innovative placemaking, the company is recognized for its ongoing commitment to design excellence and to the cultural life of its communities. The Howard Hughes Corporation is traded on the New York Stock Exchange as HHC. For additional information visit www.howardhughes.com.
About Downtown Columbia
A development of The Howard Hughes Corporation®, Downtown Columbia is located at the center of Columbia, MD, one of the first master planned communities in the U.S. founded by legendary developer James W. Rouse in 1967. Conveniently located between Washington, DC and Baltimore, Columbia is comprised of 14,000 acres including ten completed residential villages and a deep pipeline of commercial development opportunities within its Downtown. At full buildout, the redevelopment of Downtown Columbia will include three new and reconfigured neighborhoods – Merriweather District, Lakefront District and Central District featuring more than 14 million square feet of residential, office, hotel, retail, cultural, and public uses including public parks, trails and more.
The underdeveloped core of Columbia became the subject of an extensive five-year process that culminated with the passage by the Howard County government of the Downtown Columbia Plan in 2010, a guide to creating a vital area in which residents can live, shop, work, entertain, exercise, and enjoy cultural opportunities in an enriched natural setting. More information is available at www.howardhughes.com/properties/downtown-columbia.
About STEER
STEER builds products that will massively enable autonomous features in mainstream vehicles, galvanize smart transportation and stop automotive cyber threats now and in the future. The first application of STEER’s technology is a Level 4, cyber-robust highly-autonomous parking solution. STEER is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland.
Learn more and see the technology in action at www.STEER-Tech.com.