Building on more than 50 years of collaboration, today General Motors and the University of Michigan announced the launch of the GM/U-M Institute of Automotive Research and Education, the second of three such planned partnerships. The collaborative relationship between GM and U-M includes several joint patents and research papers, and during the past decade, GM has funded nearly dozens of U of M research initiatives. The Institute will be part of U of M's College of Engineering,and will be focused on, naturally, clean and efficient vehicle technologies.

At the top of the list of planned activities is the Advanced Battery Coalition for Drivetrains (ABCD) partnership.  As the name implies, this partnership will focus its attention on solving battery life and performance issues. The GM/U-M Institute will also work in three other areas: smart materials, engine systems, and advanced vehicle manufacturing.

GM has also announced a similar partnership with Shanghai Jiao Tong University in Shanghai, China and has rough plans for another with Politecnico in Torino, Italy.

Source and photo: General Motors