Ribbon cutting, August 1: Center for Automotive Research expands facilities for driverless vehicle research

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August 1, 2014—The Ohio State University’s Center for Automotive Research (CAR) will unveil its newly expanded driverless vehicle research facilities August 1, 2014.

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The media and public are invited to attend this ribbon cutting ceremony, which will showcase the new garage and laboratory space, along with their significance to current research activities. An open house with demonstrations of Ohio State’s driverless vehicle research will follow.

The ceremony will take place Friday, August 1, 2014 at the Center for Automotive Research—West Location, 1320 Kinnear Road, Columbus, Ohio 43212 during the first annual meeting of the Crash Imminent Safety University Transportation Center (CrIS UTC). CrIS UTC is one of 33 U.S. Department of Transportation centers aimed at advancing research and education programs that address critical transportation challenges facing the United States. Ohio State’s CrIS UTC’s goal is to improve ground transportation safety through interdisciplinary research and development in the interplay of autonomous and intelligent vehicle systems, human factors and injury biomechanics.

In addition to providing office, laboratory and garage space, the new facility will primarily be used to house Ohio State’s fleet of intelligent and autonomous vehicles. CrIS UTC director, Umit Ozguner describes the significance of the new facility. “The facility gives our students and researchers a closed location for year-round access to our vehicles and easy links to our laboratory-based testing and simulation environment.”

Ohio State has been involved in research programs related to driverless vehicles through its Center for Automotive Research since 1996, where it manages a fleet of five vehicles with various driverless operation capabilities.

Representatives from Ohio Department of Transportation, Toyota Collaborative Research Center, Honda Research and Development, Ford Research and various industries and research laboratories are expected guests at Friday’s event.

What: Ribbon cutting ceremony for new driverless vehicle garage; driverless vehicle demonstration and open house
When: Friday, August 1, 2014; 3pm
Where: Center for Automotive Research—West Location, 1320 Kinnear Road, Columbus, OH 43212; enter front doors of the building and follow directional signs through the building to the rear parking lot; students will be available to guide
Who: Center for Automotive Research’s Crash Imminent Safety University Transportation Center (CrIS UTC) and the Control and Intelligent Transportation researchers
Why: Construction of new garage and laboratories to accommodate expanded driverless vehicle research

Editors: Photographers and videographers are welcome to attend the event and take photos or videos during the ceremony. Vehicle demonstration will follow.

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Contact
Holly Henley, CAR Marketing and Communications Coordinator
henley.53@osu.edu
614-292-4217

 

About Center for Automotive Research

The Center for Automotive Research (CAR) is the pre-eminent research center in sustainable and safe mobility in the United States and an interdisciplinary research center in The Ohio State University’s College of Engineering. CAR research focuses on: energy, safety and the environment. CAR offers state-of-the-art facilities for students, faculty, research staff and industry partners. With a concentration on preparing the next generation of automotive leaders, CAR is recognized for: interdisciplinary emphasis on systems engineering, advanced and unique experimental facilities, collaboration on advanced product development projects with industry and a balance of government and privately sponsored research.

Category: Research