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Last month, the three universities that make up Michigan’s University Research Corridor – Michigan State University, University of Michigan, and Wayne State University – exhibited the exciting discoveries being made on campus that keep Michigan at the forefront of mobility innovation at the North American International Auto Show’s AutoMobili-D. The shared exhibit featured a WSU HYDRA Ford Fusion, MSU autonomous bus, U-M live smart intersection projection, and mobility experts and students from each university.

During a panel hosted by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation at AutoMobili-D, experts from Michigan’s University Research Corridor highlighted how their universities are leading the nation in preparing students who will take their talents into the ever-changing mobility industry. Panelists included:

Dr. Satish Udpa, Interim Director of Mobility and University Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Michigan State University
Dr. Jim Sayer, Director of the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute and Adjunct Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Michigan
Dr. Zheng Dong, Director of the Real-time System Group and Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Wayne State

Over the past five years, the URC has conducted more than $542.4 million in research and development specific to the future of mobility, including work that involves autonomous vehicles, crosswalk and curb sensors, cybersecurity, consumer experiences and the social changes new mobility technology will bring. The URC's three major research universities lead the nation in preparing students to help shape the evolving mobility industry, with 14,824 mobility-career graduates.

WATCH THE PANEL DISCUSSION

In September, the Biden-Harris Administration announced awards for 21 regional coalitions that were finalists in the Build Back Better Regional Challenge. The Global Epicenter of Mobility (GEM) coalition - led by the Detroit Regional Partnership Foundation - has received a $52.2-million grant to fund six unique projects that will help the region and country maintain its global automotive leadership.

The five co-recipients include the Detroit Regional Partnership, the Michigan Office of Future Mobility and Electrification, the Southeast Michigan Community Alliance, TechTown & the University of Michigan Economic Growth Institute.

The University of Michigan Economic Growth Institute plans to create an advanced mobility supply chain transformation center to support small and medium-sized manufacturers as they transition to the electric vehicle market.

TechTown Detroit has been awarded about $3.5 million over the next three to four years to run a software accelerator, pilot technologies in neighborhoods around Detroit, and coordinate the efforts of the Mobility Accelerator Innovation Network (MAIN).

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Recently, Michigan’s University Research Corridor (URC) announced that all three institutions are now members of the Institute for Research on Innovation and Science (IRIS), a consortium of research universities using big administrative data to understand, explain, and improve higher education and research.

“The URC institutions collaborate with each other and other universities on research that improves lives, communities and industries, and joining IRIS will help us capitalize on new funding opportunities and better measure the impact of our work statewide and nationally,” said URC Executive Director Britany Affolter-Caine.

“As the U.S. seeks to shore up our national security and competitiveness, particularly in the semiconductor area, as authorized in the recently signed CHIPS and Science Act, the URC universities position Michigan to continue to make a significant impact. As one of the nation’s top academic research clusters. The URC conducts $2.8 billion in research and development (R&D) annually, making Michigan a Top 10 state for university R&D, and accounts for 93% of total R&D in Michigan funded by the federal government.”

Michigan's University Research Corridor (URC) is one of the nation's top academic research clusters and the leading engine for innovation in Michigan and the Great Lakes region. An alliance of Michigan State University, the University of Michigan and Wayne State University, the URC is focused on increasing economic prosperity and connecting Michigan to the world.