NEW YORK - A judge asked federal prosecutors to investigate Uber Technologies Inc. and one of its engineers for potential theft of trade secrets from Google, heightening the stakes of a legal battle between Uber and Google parent Alphabet Inc. over driverless-car technology. U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco referred the case to
ANN ARBOR - Gas mileage of new vehicles sold in the U.S. continued to rise in April, say researchers at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. The average fuel economy (window-sticker value) of new vehicles sold last month was 25.3 mpg—the highest mark since last May. Overall, fuel economy is down 0.2 mpg from
AUBURN HILLS - The most powerful SUV on the market, the 707 hp Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. It was the sort of casual comment that many of those listening in on the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles earnings conference call just might have missed, but a single word from FCA Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne could signal some
ANN ARBOR—Despite considerable concerns about the safety of flying cars, two-thirds of Americans say they would like to ride in or operate their own airborne vehicle. A new study by researchers at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute shows that 41 percent of adult respondents to an online survey are "very interested" in riding
GRAND RAPIDS - CAAT (Center for Advanced Automotive Technology) partners with industry, education, government, and professional organizations to support local economic development. Through these partnerships, the CAAT identifies funding opportunities for the creation and adaptation of curricula in advanced automotive technology programs. The CAAT advances the preparation of students for careers in new and developing
ROYAL OAK - World renown auto expert David Cole, Chairman of Auto Harvest, an Ann Arbor-based web-based innovation ecosystem focused on autos and manufacturing, talks about a study that rated the auto companies on how well they are doing in autonomous vehicle technology. Ford and GM were Nos. 1 and 2. Michigan is working hard
ANN ARBOR – The University of Michigan has a new yet familiar name for its center dedicated to advancing connected and automated vehicles: Mcity. Mcity replaces Mobility Transformation Center, or MTC, as the official name of the public-private partnership U-M established in 2013 with government and industry to lead the transition to connected and driverless
MILFORD - In January, the Army began officially testing the Chevy Colorado ZH2, the first ground-mobility combat vehicle that, if fielded, would be powered by a revolutionary new hydrogen fuel cell. The result of a $4 million collaboration between GM and the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development, and Engineering Center (TARDEC), a functional hydrogen
ROYAL OAK - Tom Kelly, executive director of Automation Alley, talks about an upcoming trade mission to Paris for the Air Show. It will be Tom’s first trade mission since he was named executive director of the 1000 member association last September. Big data, robotics, aerospace manufacturers are the target for this mission, Kelly said.
ANN ARBOR - With a $2.4 million investment from the Toyota Research Institute, University of Michigan researchers will develop computer simulation tools to predict automotive battery performance. The project is part of a four-year, $35 million investment with research entities, universities and companies on research that uses artificial intelligence to help accelerate the design and
