Focus on Technology 
Did you know the new 2015 Ford F-150 is losing weight and getting better miles per gallon thanks to the use of lightweight aluminum? It was revealed at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) that this truck now weighs 700 pounds less than the previous model due to the use of aluminum in the engine compartment, doors, hood, side panels, truck bed, and tailgate (SOURCE). To learn more about lightweight materials, visit the materials lightweighting technology section of our site or our Resource Library. |
CAAT Seed Funding Did you know the CAAT provides Seed Funding to educational institutions to develop or adapt courses, modules, and other educational artifacts that advance the preparation of skilled technicians and engineers for jobs in the automobile industry? |
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CAAT Resource Library
Did you know the CAAT Resource Library offers FREE classroom-ready educational resources? These resources discuss the topics below and more!
- Alternative Fuels
- Advanced Engine Technologies
- Energy Storage and Battery Technologies
- Energy Policy
- Smart Grid Interface
- Material Lightweighting
- Professional Development
- Vehicle Electrification Systems and Technologies
All items in the CAAT Resource Library have been accepted for inclusion and are currently available through the National Science Digital Library (NSDL), ATECentral and the Applied Math and Science Education Repository (AMSER). |
CAAT Web Analytics
Did you know the CAAT website was visited more than 3,000 times in the last six months? Check us out to learn why thousands of people are visiting us! |
Michigan Career Education Conference (February 12-13, Grand Rapids, MI)
The CAAT will conduct a breakout session at the 2014 Michigan Career Education Conference
titled Smarter Cars, Smarter Students. Join us to learn more about the CAAT and how we provide curricula in advanced automotive engineering technology for technicians by:
- Working closely with industry to identify future education and training requirements
- Funding projects to develop new curricula demanded by industry
- Housing and disseminating the latest curricula to schools
The CAAT will also participate in the workshop Partnering With Education to Operationalize the Michigan Industry Cluster Approach.
We hope to see you there!
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AutoRama World of Wheels Student Career Day (March 7, 2014, Detroit, MI)
Join the CAAT at AutoRama's Student Career Day to learn about technical education career pathways.
Student day at AutoRama began in 2006 as an initiative to support the automotive educational programs at schools by exposing students to the wide range of opportunities in the industry through speakers, corporate support and event participation. AutoRama welcomes school groups of high school and college level students to participate in this positive and valuable educational experience.  |
2014 SAE World Congress & Exhibition (April 8-10, Detroit, MI)
Visit the Center for Advanced Automotive Technology poster exhibit at the SAE 2014 World Congress.
This annual event assembles the best talent in the automotive industry; experts, management teams, engineers, and executives alike gather to collaborate and address current challenges, celebrate evolution and achievement over the last 100+ years, and promote the multitude of opportunities fundamental for a successful future. 
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Welcome to the First Edition of the Center for Advanced Automotive Technology (CAAT) Monthly e-Newsletter
Due to your prior interaction with the CAAT, you have been included on our initial distribution list for this publication. We hope you will enjoy this opporunity to stay connected with us and appreciate our efforts to advance the preparation of students for technician careers in new and developing advanced automotive technologies. However, if you are not interested in receiving this monthly publication, simply scroll all the way to the bottom and click on the SafeUnsubscribe link to be removed from this mailing list.
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2014 CAAT Conference
Looking at the Future Through the Rearview Mirror
Save the date to attend t  his informative and FREE event that will be held on Friday, May 2, 2014 at the Macomb Community College in Warren, MI.
The conference is co-sponsored by our friends at the Center for Automotive Research, SAE International, and the Design and Manufacturing Alliance.
  
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Keynote Speakers |
 John McElroy, automotive analyst and host of "Autoline Daily," and the television program "Autoline This Week," broadcaster of five radio segments daily on WWJ Newsradio 950, and writer of a weekly blog for Autoblog.com and a monthly op-ed article for Ward's AutoWorld
 Nigel Francis, Senior Automotive Adviser to the State of Michigan and Senior Vice President, Automotive Industry Office, Michigan Economic Development Corporation
 Kristen Dziczek,Director, Labor and Industry Group and Assistant Research Director, Center for Automotive Research
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Other conference topics will include:
- Automated, Connected Vehicles
Learn more about how the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) plans to make Ann Arbor the first American city with a shared fleet of connected and automated vehicles by 2021. - GM's Lightweighting
Join us to learn more about GM's extensive use of lightweight materials on the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette. - Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Taxonomy
Confused about all the different terms and technologies when it comes to these fascinating vehicles? Join us on May 2 and we'll help you unravel the mystery behind today's hybrid and electric vehicles so you can become an informed consumer and educator.
Stay tuned! We'll keep you posted on our progress as we continue to develop this informative conference.
If you were unable to attend the 2013 CAAT Conference on Preparing the Workforce for the Automotive Technology of 2025, visit the 2013 CAAT Conference Resource on our Conference Resources page to see what you missed.
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Twelve Students Complete the Electric Vehicle Development Technology Certificate at Macomb Community College (MCC)
Congratulations to the twelve students who recently completed this state-of-the-art career training in Electric Vehicle Development Technology! Over the past year, this group of students became the first to complete this 28-credit certificate in one of today's hottest field by taking eight core courses and one elective course in electric vehicle technology.
The second MCC Electric Vehicle Development Technology cohort toured the Volt assembly plant in Hamtramck, MI on November 12, 2013 as part of their studies in this dynamic field.
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Kent Intermediate School District / Kent Technical Center Awarded CAAT Seed Funding
With seed funding from the Center for Advanced Automotive Technology, the Kent Career and Technical Center (KCTC) will develop a new, project-based curriculum component that will revolve around the construction of a working electric powered vehicle (EPV) that will be entered into the Electrathon America race. This project is consistent with KCTC's new building-wide green curriculum, and will provide a hands-on way for students to learn more about EV's and strengthen the network of local school districts active in building and racing EV's. Curriculum developed for this project will be available for all school districts through the Edify learning management system, an integrated technology tool that Kent ISD is developing that is intended to facilitate individualized instruction, and develop professional development modules that will support teachers in creating educational lessons using an inquiry-based model in an online setting.
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Introducing the New CAAT Webinar Series
The CAAT will soon launch an informative webinar series that will provide opportunities to:
- Learn all about the Center for Advanced Automotive Technology and how educational institutions can apply for CAAT Seed Funding to develop or adapt courses, modules, and other educational artifacts that advance the preparation of skilled technicians and engineers for jobs in the automobile industry.
- Get a preview of the upcoming 2014 Wayne State University Professional Development Course on electric-drive vehicles.
- Hear about the latest in engineering technician jobs, changes in the industry that impact the skills required for these jobs, and how collaboration among education and industry is helping to prepare students for exciting careers in advanced automotive technology.
We'll provide additional details as they become available. |
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What's New in the CAAT Resource Library?
 In December, six new conference resources were added to our Resource Library. Conference resources include materials such as handouts and presentations from conferences the CAAT presented at or attended. These six resources were developed entirely from presentations used in conferences in 2013. Listed below are the resources added in December:
- All Things Green
Presentation discussing the topics of green fleets, plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), and PEV charging infrastructure
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CAAT Sponsors Robotics, Engineering and Technology Days Event Att.ended by More Than 1,700 Students
Last month, the Center for Advanced Automotive Technology was the lead sponsor for the Robotics, Engineering and Technology Days 2013 (RET Days) event hosted by Macomb Community College, in conjunction with Macomb Intermediate School District (MISD). The event was supported by AT&T, DTE Energy Foundation, Genisys Credit Union, Michigan Schools & Government Credit Union, Oakland University - Macomb, Oakland University School of Engineering & Computer Science, SME Education Foundation, and Square One Network. This free, half-day, event was geared to students in grades 6-12.
The event offered exciting exhibits and presentations designed to help students learn about the technology involved in careers in robotics and engineering! Students were provided opportunities to:
- Check out the latest trends in automotive technology
- Talk with leading experts in the fields of engineering and robotics
- Interact with Underwater Remotely Operated Vehicles
- Program a robot and "battle" against other students
- Examine renewable energy technologies like biofuels, hydrogen fuel cells, and a student designed solar trike
- Discover electric vehicles (EVs) and participate in an EV race
Above: The CAAT teaches students about series versus parallel wiring and Lithium-ion (Li-ion) versus Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries at the RET Days event.
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