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CAAT Awards Three New Seed Funding Contracts on Lightweighting and Connected and Automated Vehicles
| CAAT is working with experts at community colleges and a university to develop educational materials for training automotive technicians in two emerging automotive fields: 1) lightweighting, and 2) connected and automated vehicles. Every major automaker is increasing the use of lightweight materials, especially aluminum, in their vehicles in order to increase fuel economy. Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are a fast-growing area of automotive electronics that includes vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications and could ultimately lead to automated vehicles. |
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To support the development of educational materials on lightweighting, CAAT has signed three new seed funding contracts, one with
Roane State Community College (Harriman, TN), one with
Kettering University (Flint, MI), and one with
Springfield Technical Community College (Springfield, MA).
The project lead at Roane State is Dr. Markus Pomper. He is developing four new courses: 1) Aluminum Welding, 2) Metallurgy for Welders, 3) Non-Destructive Testing, and 4) Automated Welding. Roane State anticipates using these courses as part of a short-term, stackable certificate for 16-credit hours in lightweight metals welding.
Kettering is developing a course module titled "Design with Aluminum for Automotive Technologies". The Kettering project leaders are Dr. Raghu Echempati, Dr. Yaomin Dong, and Dr. Craig Hoff. The course topics include using aluminum in the design of automotive body and structures, as well as other automotive components such as engine blocks, chassis systems, and wheels. The course will help develop thinking skills and provide hands-on experience needed by college students and practicing automotive technicians.
Springfield is developing a course on "Connected, Automated, Intelligent Vehicles" led by Professor Gary Mullett. Professor Mullett has written a widely used textbook on wireless communications, a key technology area for the functioning of intelligent vehicles of the future. The project will develop a new course that includes: 1) integration of advanced sensors and actuators, 2) on-board navigation technology, wireless and on-board networking, and 3) advanced display technologies, and specialized micro-controllers and software. Employed together, these technologies allow passenger cars to become connected, intelligent, and eventually autonomous.
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Fundraising Event to Benefit Macomb Community College's Applied Technology Programs
 As a member of the host committee for
The Garden Party, Bob Feldmaier, Director of the CAAT, is looking forward to another successful event. The Garden Party features fine wine, delicious food and classic cars in a lovely setting to benefit charity. Now, in its 8
th year, nearly 700 guests attend, 30 restaurants display their signature dishes and 100 different wines are served. Guests are encouraged to enjoy a pleasant afternoon and of course, the display of classic cars.
Proceeds from this year's The Garden Party will be awarded to the Oakland Community College Culinary Studies Institute and Macomb Community College's Applied Technology programs. The funds from the Garden Party will provide support for Macomb's skilled trades students, including automotive technology, to complete their certificate or degree.
With The Garden Party Southeast Michigan consistently growing, The Garden Party Foundation (TGPF) has expanded to Northern Michigan in 2016. The Garden Party Northern Michigan will be held in the Harris Garden's on North Central Michigan's campus in Petoskey on Sunday, August 14
th.
The Southeast Michigan event runs from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, June 12
th, outside at Meadow Brook Hall in Rochester. For more information, please send an email to
[email protected].
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Register Today for the FREE 2016 CAAT Conference!
Don't forget to register for the
2016 CAAT Conference, The Road to Autonomous Vehicles, which will be held on Friday, May 6
th, from 8:00 AM - 1:30 PM at Macomb Community College's South Campus in Warren, MI. Seating is limited, so register now!
Participants will learn about the many complexities involved in the development of automated and connected vehicles, including the infrastructure needed to support these high tech vehicles. There are also many legal, insurance, and cybersecurity concerns that must be addressed by the industry and government before full implementation of autonomous (self-driving) vehicles can occur. The conference will include a keynote presentation by Jeff Klei, President, NAFTA Region, Continental Automotive Divisions, and three Tech Talk sessions on the Challenges, Infrastructure, and Cybersecurity of automated and connected vehicles. Our impressive lineup of Tech Talk speakers and panelists will provide insights on these complex issues from industry, government, and educator perspectives. This will provide attendees with the information necessary to assess the technical needs of future workers in advanced automotive technology.
Jeff Klei's keynote will address the current state of the automotive industry from record sales to challenges of new fuel economy/emissions standards. He will provide insight on why connected and automated technology in the automotive industry is one of the most exciting areas of new technology and how it will affect our lives. You will learn about the levels of automated vehicles and the time frame for adoption, as well as some of the key issues still to be addressed.
Educators traveling from out-of-state to attend the conference are invited to attend a special meeting with other out-of-state conference attendees immediately following the conference. The meeting will include a brief introduction to Macomb Community College and its programs, a tour of our facilities, and a discussion with the out-of-state attendees and CAAT / Macomb Community College leadership.
For a complete list of our Tech Talk Speakers and Panelists, and other conference information, please visit our
conference webpage
today!
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CAAT Attends CAR's Industry Briefing on Pathways to Engage K-12 Students in the Automotive Industry
 On March 9
th, CAAT Director Bob Feldmaier, and Assistant Director Nelson Kelly, attended the
Center for Automotive Research (CAR) Industry Briefing on Pathways to Engage K-12 Students in the Automotive Industry, which highlighted lessons learned from interactions between K-12 STEM programs and automotive industry sponsors with an emphasis on what works, and the benefits of involvement from industry's perspective. Speakers shared insights on how these programs improve educational communities, and identified how programs can better engage with the automotive industry and integrate into schools across the state. The briefing was held at Henry Ford College's M-TEC in Dearborn, MI and was moderated by Krisin Dziczek, Director of CAR's Industry and Labor Group, and Chair of CAAT's
National Visiting Committee.
Gail Albert of
FIRST in Michigan (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), and Keysha Camps of
General Motors spoke about how the FIRST program, along with sponsors such as General Motors, can give middle school, high school, and university students practical hands-on experience in robotics. FIRST teams compete world-wide, not only in the robotics challenge (designing, building, and programming the robot to accomplish the task), but also in business planning, marketing, and web development and design, and is the only varsity sport where every member can turn pro.
Douglas Patton of
DENSO, and Frank Norton III of
Project Lead the Way (PLTW), described how PLTW sends industry workers into classrooms to share real world lessons from industry that use STEM for problem solving.
Valerie Jemerson and Jeffrey Truitt described the
MAT2 (Michigan Advanced Technician Training) program of using a German learning model and U.S. community college students in a work/study program. MAT
2 students study and work in mechatronics, information technology, product design, and computer numerical control (CNC). Students in the program receive tuition assistance and paid apprenticeships, internships, or co-ops.
Jason Lee of the
Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP), and Daphne Harris of
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles described the lessons and equipment DARCEP uses in their efforts to promote STEM in Pre-K to 12
th grade Detroit schools.
Ronda Alexander of
Ford Motor Company described Ford's
Next Generation Learning (NGL) program that funds the development of STEM learning academies at over 25 sites throughout the U.S.
Meeting attendees had the opportunity to network with the speakers and with each other to promote further engagement between educators and those in the automotive industry with the objective of preparing students for automotive careers.
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 CAAT's STEM Outreach Program Presented at Michigan Science Teachers Association Conference
 Robert Tonti, CAAT STEM Coordinator, attended the annual
Michigan Science Teachers Association conference held at the Lansing Center in Lansing, MI March 3-5, 2016. Mr. Tonti presented the CAAT's STEM Outreach Program's in-classroom
STEM Labs (for middle school students) and
Career Exploration Labs (for youth groups) to fellow teachers in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties. Forty seven teachers attended the CAAT presentation. The outcome was very positive and many teachers were excited about participating in the CAAT's STEM Outreach Program. In addition to presenting, Mr. Tonti attended several presentations himself and gleaned many new lab ideas to incorporate and grow the lab options in the CAAT STEM Outreach Program.
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CAAT Director Attends Automation Alley Seminar
On March 2
nd, Bob Feldmaier, CAAT Director, attended a seminar called, "Autonomous Vehicles are Coming: Opportunities and Challenges" co-hosted by Automation Alley and the Oakland County Bar Association. The seminar discussed the challenges and opportunities that self-driving cars will pose to our region, including legal, economic growth, and policy considerations. Topics included the present and future state of technology and development, issues related to legal liability, and a review of relevant statutes and case law. Speakers included representatives from Ford Motor Company, Automation Alley, the Oakland County Executive Office, the University of Michigan Mobility Transformation Center, Continental Automotive Systems, the University of Michigan Law School, and the Michigan Department of Transportation. One speaker said, "Everything is changing so quickly it will likely change tomorrow!" Another said, "It is no longer if, but how."
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CAAT Joins Forces with the Boy Scouts Organization to Host First STEM Adventure Day
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Cub Scout in MCC vehicle which runs on propane
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On Saturday, February 20
th, the CAAT hosted 107 Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts at Macomb Community College's (MCC) South Campus in Warren. The Scouts attended the first STEM Adventure Day in MCC's Automotive Building. The event activities were designed to assist the Scouts in achieving their NOVA Award, which is designed around STEM learning objectives.
According to a survey completed by students after the event, 56% indicated that they were extremely or moderately interested in an engineering career and 54% were interested in a STEM career. Another 38% indicated a moderate or slight interest in an engineering career and 42% expressed a moderate or slight interest in a STEM career.
Several MCC staff members volunteered their time, expertise, and knowledge by discussing engineering and electric vehicle development technology with the scouts, which helped them achieve various learning objectives. The CAAT thanks Mary Bush (Media and Communication Arts faculty), Dave Roland (Automotive faculty), and Nelson Kelly (CAAT Assistant Director) for participating in the event and contributing to its success.
The CAAT's STEM Outreach Coordinator, Robert Tonti, conducted a lab at the event which offered the scouts an opportunity to build a catapult and a wind powered car, which also accomplished a NOVA award objective. Mr. Tonti's lab was noted as the favorite lab by 52% of the students who participated in the event. The CAAT thanks Mr. Tonti for this and for his instrumental role in planning this event with the Boy Scouts. We look forward to further participation with the Boy Scouts organization in the future.
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 What's New in the CAAT Resource Library?
- Special Report - Vehicle Lightweighting: This exclusive Automotive World report provides top-level insight from a range of influential players in automotive lightweighting, including OEMs, automotive suppliers, and materials experts.
- Identifying Real World Barriers to Implementing Lightweighting Technologies and Challenges in Estimating the Increase in Costs: The purpose of this paper is to present a perspective from the standpoint of automotive manufacturers about the challenges that need to be considered and overcome in implementing new lightweighting technologies. This report is the first in an ongoing analysis by the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) intended to offer perspectives on implementing technologies that can contribute to reducing emissions and improving fuel economy.
- Global Harmonization of Connected Vehicle Communications Standards: This report, produced by the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) Transportation Systems, examines international efforts to develop "harmonized" connected vehicle standards that would enable automakers, governments, and technology developers to, at a minimum, adopt analogous conceptual and technological frameworks across markets.
- Use of Data from Connected and Automated Vehicles for Travel Demand Modeling: This study, produced by the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) Transportation Systems Analysis Group, investigates the potential use of connected and automated vehicle (CAV) data for both statewide and regional-level modeling. While there are related privacy and data management issues to overcome, the data collected from CAVs holds great promise for supporting travel forecasting modeling, transportation system management, and planning.
- Assessing the Cost and Benefit of Effective Lightweighting Technologies: This report examines why lightweighting may be a viable solution and examines the cost of lightweight automotive closures. This research analyzes the direct manufacturing cost by modeling the manufacturing process of the door in white subsystem, including the inner and outer panels, hinge reinforcements, and intrusion beams, concluding with the joining of components into the sub-assembly, which can be installed in an automotive assembly plant body shop.
- Artificial Intelligence for Robotics - Programming a Robotic Car: A two-month online course. Learn how to program all the major systems of a robotic car from the leader of Google and Stanford's autonomous driving team. This class will teach you basic methods in artificial intelligence, including: probabilistic inference, planning and search, localization, tracking and control, all with a focus on robotics. Extensive programming examples and assignments will apply these methods in the context of building self-driving cars.
- Autonomous Vehicle Technology - A Guide for Policy Makers: This report is intended as a guide for state and federal policymakers on the many issues that autonomous technology raises. After surveying the advantages and disadvantages of the technology RAND researchers determined that the benefits of the technology likely outweigh the disadvantages.
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Did you know that a new survey from AAA Michigan reveals that 75% of U.S. drivers are afraid to ride in a self-driving car? This could lead to problems for the automotive industry, as drivers may not readily embrace self-driving cars. The survey also found that even though there are fears, consumer demand for semi-autonomous technology in cars and trucks is still high. As many as 61% of drivers say they want at least one of the current features in their next cars.
Read more.
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Did you know that a modified, all-electric, 2006 Z06 Chevrolet Corvette is the fastest street legal electric car in the world? Genovation Car's GXE set the record, 186.8 mph, on February 23, 2016 while testing the vehicle in Florida. See the video and read more at
Tech Times.
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| Did you know that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposed new safety requirements on March 10, 2016 to protect drivers from electrical shock? The proposal is intended to protect electric vehicle occupants from shock not only following crashes, but also while driving and charging the car, according to the NHTSA. Read the proposed rule here: Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Electric-Powered Vehicles: Electrolyte Spillage and Electrical Shock Protection |
Did you know that Ford Motor Company has an executive whose entire job is to predict the future? For some time now, Ford has been investing in futurism, an evolving academic and professional discipline. Read an interesting interview by Matthew DeBord, author at Business Insider, with Sheryl Connelly, Manager, Global Consumer Trends and Futuring at Ford Motor Company to learn more about how she makes her predictions. |
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