Adient has become an affiliate member of the University of Michigan’s Mobility Transformation Centre (MTC).
The centre is a research partnership of industry, government and academia laying the foundation for a commercially viable system of connected and automated vehicles.
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“We are pleased to be a part of this research group and look forward to working together to address the challenges and opportunities a world with vehicle connectivity will bring,” said Adient chairman and CEO, Bruce McDonald.
Adient, created when Johnson Controls’ automotive seating business was spun off as an independent company in 2016, is conducting market and consumer research on the needs of autonomous vehicle interiors. Seating will play an important role as drivers and passengers spend more time on non-driving activities.
At the recent North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Adient revealed its AI17 interior seating concept for level-3 and level-4 autonomous vehicles. Once vehicles have the capability to be computer-driven, occupants will demand more flexibility from a vehicle’s seating and interior space than ever before.
“Connected and automated vehicles hold the potential to dramatically improve the safety, sustainability and accessibility of our mobility system,” said MTC director, Huei Peng. “Through this consortium arrangement, we are engaging technology suppliers, thought leaders and entrepreneurs required to inform and drive progress toward that transformative vision.”
Adient and MTC’s other affiliates represent a range of sectors which will play a role in shaping a viable system of connected and automated vehicles, including automotive manufacturing, vehicle communication devices, chips and hardware and insurance, as well as companies engaged in technologies such as advanced modelling, big data acquisition and intelligent transportation systems.
Affiliates commit US$150,000 each for three years in order to participate in selected MTC working groups and research programmes as well as key research reviews and an annual MTC Congress. They also have access to the Mcity proving ground and on-road vehicle test beds.
Mcity is a simulated urban-suburban environment for testing connected and automated vehicles and systems before they are tried out in real traffic. Mcity sits on a 32-acre site on U-M’s North Campus, with more than 16 acres of roads and traffic infrastructure.
In addition, MTC is working with partners to develop on-road vehicle deployments in Ann Arbor and beyond to serve as test beds for partners.
