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The Automotive Research Center (ARC) is a partnership of eight top-ranked universities led by the University of Michigan. Other participating institutions include Clemson University, Oakland University, the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, the University of Iowa, the University of Tennessee, the University of Wisconsin, and Wayne State University. Sponsored by the National Automotive Center at U. S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM), the Center conducts basic research that advances the state of the science in high-fidelity modeling, simulation, and testing of military and civilian ground vehicles. By leveraging the expertise of leading research universities and their facilities, the ARC helps industry and government partners achieve significant, far-reaching design objectives and serves as a resource for technical training.

• Funding Sources
  Contract research is a major source of funding for the ARC, and it maintains active, ongoing research partnerships with more than 40 government agencies, research institutes, and manufacturers worldwide.
   
• Administrative Staff
  The Center operates under the guidance of a director and deputy director who are supported by a team of professional administrators.
   
• Advisory Committees
  An advisory board comprised of high-level industry executives meets periodically to assist the director and deputy director with strategic planning and decision making.
   
• Research Thrust Areas
  Research projects conducted by the ARC are focused on five key areas:
  
  • Intelligent vehicle dynamics and control
    
  • Synthetic and virtual environments
    
  • High-performance structures and materials
    
  • Advanced and hybrid powertrains
    
  • Integrated system design and simulation
     
• Education and Training
   
• Commercialization and Patents
  In those cases when research projects result in new techniques or processes, intellectual property issues are decided by negotiations between industry partners and individual universities in the consortium.
   
• Industry Membership
  The ARC was created to provide government and industry with integrated, cost-effective research relating to vehicle design, operation, and testing. Research contracts are negotiated on an individual basis and vary in cost from $40,000 to more than $250,000. Industry partnerships can take a number of different forms, including the following:
  
  • A company may assign one or more employees to participate in an ARC research project, with no formal agreement required.
    
  • Industry partners may negotiate contracts with one or more participating universities to expand or customize ongoing research projects.
    
  • A company may sponsor a project not currently pursued in the ARC.
    
  • Two or more companies may pool their resources to create a consortium that supports one or more projects or research themes within the Center.

For more information, contact :

Dennis Assanis, Director
Automotive Research Center
University of Michigan College of Engineering
Walter E. Lay Automotive Laboratory Building
1231 Beal Avenue
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2121
(734) 764-2694 phone
assanis@umich.edu e-mail
http://arc.engin.umich.edu