The autonomous vehicle automaker NAVYA announced it will locate its first U.S. plant in Saline, Mich., and plans to build approximately 25 of its ARMA fully autonomous shuttle vehicles at the plant before the close of 2017.

The ARMA shuttle provides first and last mile transportation solutions, with a fleet of 45 vehicles deployed worldwide and more than 170,000 passengers transported to date. The City of Las Vegas conducted a successful pilot with NAVYA this year.

With the addition of its new plant in Saline, the company will be able to boost production significantly to serve the growing North American market.

“We at NAVYA could not be more pleased to call Saline, Michigan home to our first assembly plant in North America. As the greater Ann Arbor area continues to establish itself as a hub for autonomous vehicle development, we feel it’s the perfect location for us. Strong government and community support for mobility initiatives combined with an excellent talent pool provide the ideal environment for our expansion in North America,” said NAVYA CEO Christophe Sapet.

The project is expected to generate a total capital investment of more than $1 million and create 50 jobs, resulting in a $435,000 Michigan Business Development performance-based grant. The funds are approved by the Michigan Strategic Fund and administered by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

The company made the announcement with project collaborators Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and Ann Arbor SPARK.