Mississippi State’s “Car Of The Future” Unveiled In Detroit

STARKVILLE, Miss. (PRESS RELEASE) — Mississippi State University is showcasing its “Car of the Future” this week in Detroit, Michigan, during an event designed to bring together the best talent in the automotive industry.

MSU researchers from the university’s Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems are attending the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress April 12-14, when they will reveal the university’s “Car of the Future” after more than two years of work.

The project has been under development by a team of MSU faculty, students and alumni working to build a lighter, greener hybrid vehicle that offers over 100 miles of driving using the equivalent of a single gallon of gas – an achievement no other car on the market can offer at the same level of superior efficiency, sporty handling and outstanding performance.

The project was funded through a generous gift from MSU alumnus James Worth Bagley to the MSU Foundation.

MSU President Mark E. Keenum said he is eager for the university to share its new state-of-the-art technological advancements and promote the university’s industrial research and development capabilities.

The university’s “Car of the Future” features:

—Control algorithms that recognize driving patterns and can predict future driving patterns.

—Custom designed cast magnesium sub-frame that reduces mass by 40 percent compared to the stock sub-frame while supporting a dual-motor electric drive axle.

—Rear wheel torque vectoring for traction control and enhanced stability to hug tight curves.

—Lightweight battery pack incorporating improved cell cooling through the use of proprietary cooling technologies.

“Mississippi State is anticipating and adapting to the needs of an accelerating automotive industry. Our engineering design teams are trained to recognize the industry’s directional changes and innovate advanced systems, from predictive engine management to regenerative braking systems and more,” Keenum said.

Project leader Matthew Doude, business development officer for CAVS, said the university brings to each of its projects the same attention to detail, innovative approaches and technical expertise to attain success.

“The Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems represents the junction between industry and academia. CAVS is where university expertise is applied to solving industrial research and development challenges, on time and under budget,” he said.

He said MSU’s “Car of the Future” demonstrates the broad range of university design and prototyping capabilities.

The group also is working to expand educational opportunities for students and generate more research and development projects for their center.