Michigan Trans-Formation with Connected Vehicle Technology

Somat Engineering, Engineering Professional Development at the University of Michigan Dearborn, and the Convergence Education Foundation (CEF), under the leadership of the Connected Vehicle Proving Center (CVPC), have developed a plan for development and deployment of a project driven education program that will accelerate the transition of metro Detroit to an innovation-based economy, expanding opportunity for all and growing the economy of Michigan.  CVPC brings expertise in connected vehicles technologies, their implementation and deployment, and a network of potential companies to sponsor projects.  Somat Engineering is a Detroit based DBE that represent a typical group of corporate users of the program. Furthermore, Somat Engineering represents the program team with Detroit public officials.  The Engineering Professional Development at the University of Michigan – Dearborn will develop the course plan and help arrange internships for the students.  CEF will create a secondary school program that will help make the connection between secondary and college education.

The project focuses on training and retaining a Michigan workforce that is ready to participate in a new, innovative, advanced transportation electronics industry; helping businesses transition into this economy through innovation; and demonstrating the importance of education in fueling a new economy.  The project will demonstrate the feasibility of the overall design and will be piloted with a few firms and educational partners.  By starting with a few dedicated partners and collaborators, the project team will best demonstrate success and create a laboratory for refining the overall model and expanding it to more industries and other educational institutions.  Ultimately, the model should be deployed throughout southeast Michigan and beyond.

Somat Engineering will coordinate projects with the City of Detroit, review and prove out  all curriculums and plan industry participation in the program.  Somat will be the first business to go through the program in full and will help recruit additional firms to the project as well.