General Motors chose a once-closed Oakland County factory to start production of its next generation of self-driving cars by early 2017.

The automaker announced on Dec. 15 that the autonomous vehicle manufacturing will come to Michigan at the same time that it said it plans to move testing of the vehicles from its Warren technical center site to the state's public roadways.

"Revolutionizing transportation for our customers while improving safety on roads is the goal of our autonomous vehicle technology, and today's announcement gets us one step closer to making this vision a reality," said General Motors Chairman and CEO Mary Barra in a news release. "Our autonomous technology will be reliable and safe, as customers have come to expect from any of our vehicles."

Workers at the Orion Township assembly plant will build test fleet Bolt EVs equipped with fully autonomous technology by early 2017, according to GM.

The 4.3 million-square-foot plant in northern Oakland County manufactures the Chevrolet Bolt EV and Sonic. Built in 1983 and located 50 miles north of GM's world headquarters in Detroit, it had been idled in 2010 amid the Great Recession.

But GM identified potential in the property, bringing Sonic and Bolt production to the facility that now employs 1,148, according to its website.

It also invested $245 million in the plant and planned to add 300 news jobs in summer 2015.

"Orion Assembly is a breeding ground for manufacturing innovation," Cathy Clegg, GM North America vice president of Manufacturing and Labor Relations, said at the time.

This week's announcement raises not just the profile of the plant, but also indicates that Michigan is gaining traction in the race toward bringing autonomous vehicles to market.

GM's announcement comes a week after Gov. Rick Snyder signed the SAVE Act legislation, a set of four bills that allow autonomous vehicles on Michigan roads and encourages their development here.

It's a move the economic development experts consider key for the state's position in its growing mobility footprint. GM, for example, also has been testing its Bolt EV with autonomous technology in San Francisco and Arizona.

"We applaud GM's leadership in the mobility space, and their continued commitment to Michigan," said Michigan Economic Development Corporation Chief Executive Officer Steve Arwood in a news release.

"This announcement of additional research, testing and manufacturing all happening in Michigan also further cements our Planet M campaign and the fact that the future of mobility is happening and advancing right here. Working together with the automotive industry on finding innovative and timely solutions, Michigan is playing a leading role in the world-wide autonomous-vehicle revolution."