In the heart of industrialized America, there’s a “city” with no license plates on cars and free gasoline
The Milford Proving Ground, a private 4,000-acre complex in Michigan, functions as a secret city where General Motors tests its new models.
In the heart of the United States lies a place that feels straight out of a movie - a “city” where cars roam without license plates, nobody pays for gas, and access is reserved for a select few. Welcome to the Milford Proving Ground, General Motors’ massive testing complex that’s been hidden away in Michigan for more than a century.
Founded in 1924, this sprawling facility covers over 4,000 acres and operates like a self-contained city. It boasts more than 150 buildings, its own fire department, and an intricate road network featuring paved circuits, gravel stretches, high-speed straights, and rugged off-road courses. Every inch of it is engineered to push future vehicles to their limits before they ever hit the showroom floor.
Milford Proving Ground: The auto industry’s Area 51
At Milford, no car needs a license plate - most are prototypes cloaked in heavy camouflage to keep their designs under wraps. GM doesn’t bother with identification because these machines are strictly pre-production. But perhaps the most intriguing detail is the on-site gas station, where engineers can top off tanks as often as needed - at zero cost. The company picks up the tab for everything.
As you’d expect, getting inside Milford is nearly impossible. GM enforces tight security to prevent leaks of the vehicles under development. In fact, many employees have never set foot inside this “city.” Those who do gain access face strict rules: no cell phones, no cameras, no exceptions. Without question, this is one of the most secretive and influential places in the automotive world. Had you heard of it?
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