Tony Geara’s office sits at the intersection of government, industry, and community, tasked with making Detroit not only a hub for innovation but also a model for responsible, inclusive deployment of mobility solutions. He is the Deputy Chief of Mobility Innovation for the City of Detroit, where he helps shape the city’s evolving approach to transportation, mobility, smart cities, and technology.
This year, Geara is a featured speaker at the Sustainable Urban Design Summit (SUDS), where Detroit’s mobility story will be part of the larger conversation about building sustainable, equitable cities. Ahead of the summit, he spoke with Detroitisit about the city’s vision, challenges, and opportunities.
Detroitisit: Detroit has been positioning itself as a leader in mobility innovation. How would you define the city’s mobility vision today, and how has it evolved in recent years?
Geara: Detroit’s mobility vision has grown alongside the city’s own transformation. Ten years ago, we were coming out of bankruptcy; today, we have a balanced budget, a population that’s finally increasing again, and momentum behind us.
That progress comes from strong leadership and passionate residents who want their community to thrive. Innovation has been brewing here for years — whether through entrepreneurs at Newlab and TechTown, startups in mobility, or city employees committed to improving how Detroit works.
Traditionally, transportation meant brick-and-mortar functions like paving roads or maintaining signals. Now, our Office of Mobility Innovation bridges that foundation with startups, OEMs, and government partners to test new solutions. It’s about creating an ecosystem where the future of mobility is influenced collectively, not in silos.
Detroitisit: Can you share a recent project or pilot program that demonstrates measurable progress in advancing mobility in Detroit?
Geara: One initiative I’d highlight is the Transportation Innovation Zone around Michigan Central. It’s essentially a sandbox that allows us to expedite permits for testing new technologies in a real urban environment.
Under the Detroit MODES project funded by the USDOT SMART grant, we’re applying data and artificial intelligence to roadway safety. We’re integrating third-party data, traditional datasets, and high-fidelity ATSPM information — including near misses and red-light violations — to refine our understanding of roadway safety. This goes beyond historical crash data to include advanced analytics, real-time detection, and, eventually, predictive modeling. Responsible use of AI is a vital tool that every city must prepare for, and Detroit is already ahead of the curve.
We’ve also seen promising results with robot deliveries, and we’re now piloting a smart bike lock system that can be activated by phone. The goal of the Innovation Zone is to shorten the distance between an idea and its deployment, ensuring technologies move from testing to community benefit much more quickly.
Detroitisit: In terms of equity, how are you ensuring that innovation benefits all Detroiters, particularly underserved communities?
Geara: Equity is central to everything we do. Whenever we roll out a pilot, we think about who might be left out — and how we can design for inclusion.
Take digital equity. Many mobility solutions assume everyone has a smartphone and internet access. That’s not the case. We recently launched a self-driving shuttle that provides connectivity between Michigan Central on the west side to East Jefferson along the riverfront for residents with mobility challenges. We created a call center option so people who don’t have access to or can’t manage an app can still book rides. It’s a simple but essential backup to ensure accessibility.
Equity isn’t just a policy goal; it’s a mindset. By expanding our focus to underserved communities, we end up creating solutions that serve everyone better.
Detroitisit: What are the biggest challenges in balancing the pace of technological innovation with the realities of infrastructure and policy?
Geara: The gap between industry and government is real. Technology moves fast, but as public servants, our responsibility is to ensure safety, security, and quality control. We can’t just chase the next shiny object.
Take autonomous vehicles or robotics. Without proper planning, those technologies could pose risks. We need industry to design solutions that are practical and relatable, while government has to step up to test, pilot, and regulate responsibly. It’s a two-way street.
Detroit has taken that seriously, whether through ordinances on scooters or AV shuttle pilots. We want innovation to move forward, but in a way that people can trust.
Detroitisit: How does Detroit’s mobility strategy compare with what you’re seeing in other cities? What lessons are you borrowing or adapting?
Geara: Cities like San Francisco and Atlanta have been aggressive in deploying autonomous vehicles and partnering with companies like Waymo, Lyft, and Uber.
Our goal is responsible deployment — serving real public needs, not just putting technology on the street for its own sake. That means including public engagement from the start. When you do that, technology becomes a practical solution instead of a novelty.
The fact that Detroit created an Office of Mobility Innovation eight years ago is itself a lesson. We bridge the gap between traditional city departments and emerging technologies. That model allows us to bring ideas in, test them, and then decide how they can improve efficiency, sustainability, or safety.
Detroitisit: If you were to look 10 years out, what would success in Detroit’s mobility innovation space look like?
Geara: Success would mean flexibility. No single solution will last forever, but we can lay foundations today — whether through legislation, ordinances, or partnerships — that ensure responsible adoption in the future.
It also means strengthening communication channels, with state agencies like SEMCOG and with private partners, so we’re aligned and ready to adapt.
Data will be critical. If we manage it responsibly, data can unlock enormous efficiency gains. But it has to be secure, safe, and used with the right partners.
Ultimately, success looks like a city where innovation serves people first — where equity, sustainability, and efficiency are embedded in mobility decisions, and where Detroit continues to lead by example.
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