Mobility @ MSU News

Starting at Commuter Lot 89 traveling down Farm Lane 2.5 miles to the MSU Auditorium – this is the route of Michigan State’s autonomous bus. The Karsan Autonomous e-ATAK bus is bright green with an interior to match. Spartan head decals decorate both sides and front of the 27-foot vehicle. Since plans were introduced last November, …

It is no secret the automotive industry is at a transformational crossroads. Many companies are working toward transitioning from the internal combustion engine to electrification and sustainable mobility. Helping to lead that transformation are the 75 students in the driver’s seat of the MSU Solar Racing Team, a student-run organization that designs, builds, and races …

“Ask the Expert” articles provide information and insights from MSU scientists, researchers, and scholars about national and global issues, complex research, and general-interest subjects based on their areas of academic expertise and study. They may feature historical information, background, and research findings or offer tips. Michigan State University’s Peter Savolainen is always thinking about how to …

The country is at the cusp of another automotive revolution, and this time the state of Michigan and Michigan State University will be at its epicenter. So proclaimed Michigan Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II during a mobility roundtable discussion at MSU’s College of Engineering on April 20. Gilchrist joined MSU President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., …

At Michigan State University, researchers are accelerating the future of driving by making autonomous vehicles safer under any road or weather conditions. Integrating different technologies and using multimodal sensor fusion, they are leading innovation that allows autonomous vehicles to perceive the environment in challenging conditions like snow, heavy rain, and fog and react appropriately. “That’s …

Michigan State University launched a new exclusive partnership earlier this spring bringing hundreds of e-scooters to campus with Spin, a San Francisco-based micromobility unit of Ford Motor Co. The partnership is a continuation of the university’s effort to use the campus as a testbed to drive the future of human-centric mobility solutions.   More than 600 scooters are now on campus, and …

Dr. Eva Kassens-Noor is paving the way for the future of sociomobility through her research in resilience, sustainability and large-scale urban planning projects triggered by global forces. Currently an associate professor of Urban and Regional Planning in MSU’s School of Planning, Design and Construction and the Global Urban Studies Program, Dr. Kassens-Noor is also an …

Dr. Tamara Bush, Interim Chair of Mechanical Engineering at MSU, is making transportation more accessible through her research on whole-body biomechanics. More specifically, her research analyzes seating mechanics, injury mechanics, vehicle interface research, universal design and clinical biomechanics. “I look at the needs of persons with disabilities,” Bush said. “Not only in terms of what …

Dr. Betty H.C. Cheng, Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at MSU, is developing techniques to address the assurance and trustworthiness of autonomous vehicles. While the future of autonomous vehicles is both promising and exciting, there are many obstacles to overcome for them to safely operate on the roadways. “With the increasing …

Dr. Daniel Morris, Associate Professor in the College of Engineering, is giving mobility platforms the ability to see better than humans. Autonomous vehicles need to have sensing capabilities on par with or better than humans in order to safely operate on roadways. “Sensing for mobility is an intriguing topic for me,” Morris said. “Humans accomplish …

Dr. Hamidreza Modares is working to make future roadways safer with his research in autonomous vehicles. Modares is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Michigan State University. He is working to design safe control protocols for autonomous cars. “Autonomous systems can bring unprecedented benefits to mobility and transportation, and yet without …

Dr. Josh Siegel is creating safer, more reliable vehicles. Siegel is an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Michigan State University. His research focuses on how to make contemporary and future vehicles more secure, reliable and efficient so transportation becomes more accessible, lower cost and safer. Siegel and his lab, …