Kettering University Opens Mobility Research Center

Flint, Mich.’s Kettering University has completed the first phase of its GM Mobility Research Center that will be used to test electric and self-driving vehicles, safety systems and connected vehicle technologies.

The center, which was announced in early 2015, is partially funded by a $2 million investment from General Motors Co.’s GM Foundation. Kettering (formerly General Motors Institute) also received a $1.9 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to support the second phase of the project, which will begin early next year.

The first phase of site development features a 3.3-acre test pad and various land and infrastructure improvements. The center includes stadium-style lighting, fencing and landscaping to allow users to safely test vehicles under a variety of conditions at any time of day or night, according to the university.

The site also has a dedicated 4G LTE cellular network. The system operates at 10 times the data speed of public cellular networks, which enables testing of vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications.

As part of the second phase of the program, Kettering will add a low-speed road course with multiple routes and elevation and surface changes. Other additions will include a research annex and garage with automotive bays, lab space, conference rooms and offices.

The new research center will be available to Kettering students and faculty and to the university’s 600 corporate partners. Delphi Automotive plc, which is headquartered in nearby Troy, Mich., already has indicated it plans to use the facility.