The University of Michigan and General Motors have long been bastions of innovation, often by working together. Now the two institutions are ratcheting up their cooperation as GM sends more of its engineers to U-M to develop the next generation of electric cars.
"This is a big problem," says Ann Marie Sastry, director of the Energy Systems Engineering Program at the University of Michigan. "Electrification of the vehicle is a paradigm change. It affects every system in the vehicle."
Which means scores of automotive engineers are going to have relearn how to do their jobs. It’s an even bigger priority at GM, which is betting a lot of its future success on game-changing vehicles like the plug-in Chevrolet Volt.
For now GM will send 50 of its top engineers to U-M to complete their master degrees in engineering while working full-time at the auto-maker. They will specialize in energy systems engineering. The whole process is expected to take 4.5 years.
"We need a methodology to retrain our workforce," says Bob Kruse, executive director of global vehicle engineering for hybrids, electric vehicles and batteries for GM.
Not that GM has been slouch in that department. Sastry points out that GM’s continuing education programs are routinely the benchmark for the corporate world with firm’s like Microsoft taking meticulous notes.
The first cohort of engineers will start in January. A second of a size to be determined will begin next fall. Both Sastry and Kruse see many more of GM’s engineers going into the program for the foreseeable future.
"The only vector is up," Sastry says. "I think this will not only grow but there will be imitators."
Source: Ann Marie Sastry, director of the Energy Systems Engineering Program at the University of Michigan and Bob Kruse, executive director of global vehicle engineering for hybrids, electric vehicles and batteries for GM
Writer: Jon Zemke
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