On Friday, October 6, 2018 industry, government and campus partners attended The Ohio State Center for Automotive Research (CAR) semi-annual External Advisory Board meeting.

The meeting provided an opportunity to highlight the research currently being done at CAR around electrification and bring attention to the numerous facility upgrades and facelifts currently taking place at CAR.

“As CAR works with our industry and government partners to build strategic plans around the future of the automotive industry and the mobility revolution, we are putting a lot of effort into ensuring our facilities are appropriately equipped to support our faculty, students and research staff,” said David Cooke, assistant director of research operations at CAR. “This exercise has led to short, medium and long term plans to upgrade many of our labs. The first three major projects will support our electrification research thrust area. The creation of a High Power Traction Drive Lab is already underway. In the immediate future we are working to centralize, expand and upgrade our Energy Storage Research Lab and in the next year we will launch an all new Advanced Powertrain Lab which is being developed to support the design and testing of electric machines and drives as well as auxiliary components.”

Mason Hayes, a member of the Buckeye Current team presents at the 2018 Autumn EAB meeting.The motorsports teams also shared updates from their 2018 competition season and took the opportunity to thank their sponsors, many in attendance, for their generous contributions to the student teams.

The breadth of information shared during the meeting resulted in great questions, discussion and opportunities for collaboration.