Driving the Future of Autonomy: ARC Director Showcases “Mobility at Michigan” at SAE WCX 2025

DETROIT, MI – April 9, 2025 — At SAE’s prestigious World Congress Experience (WCX) 2025, Professor Bogdan I. Epureanu, Director of the U.S. Army Automotive Research Center (ARC) of Excellence and Roger L. McCarthy Professor and Arthur F. Thurnau Professor at the University of Michigan, presented a compelling vision for the future of autonomy and mobility.

Representing “Mobility at Michigan”, Prof. Epureanu highlighted the University of Michigan’s collaborative ecosystem — including ARC, the Electric Vehicle Center (EVC), UMTRI, Auto Lab, and Mcity — that is shaping the future of transportation. His talk emphasized ARC’s leadership in off-road autonomous mobility with real-world impacts in mining, agriculture, disaster management, and logistics, alongside its central mission of modernizing the U.S. Army through cutting-edge research in modeling, simulation, and digital engineering (DE). 

In front of a global audience of engineers, innovators, and industry leaders, Prof. Epureanu underscored the importance of academic-government-industry collaboration. “ARC’s research is not only enabling the US Army to safely extend operational reach through autonomy,” he noted, “but also inspiring breakthroughs that are relevant across sectors — from energy and mobility to national security.”

His presentation, part of a special Learning Lab session with directors from other U-M research centers, offered insight into how stakeholders can get involved — from academic partnerships to industry affiliations, and participation in live and virtual events.

As the mobility sector accelerates toward a more autonomous, connected, and electrified future, this presentation positioned the University of Michigan — and the ARC — as a national leader in transforming ideas into deployable technologies.

Follow the journey and stay engaged with the ARC and Mobility at Michigan as we drive toward a smarter, safer, and more sustainable future.