Senator Gary Peters Highlights ARC's Role in Shaping the Future of Army Mobility and National Security

U.S. Senator Gary Peters delivered a message to participants of the Automotive Research Center (ARC) Annual Program Review, recognizing the ARC’s contributions to national security and reaffirming the importance of Michigan’s leadership in developing the technologies that will shape the future of military mobility. 

“I first just want to recognize all of the incredible work that’s being done by the Automotive Research Center to test, model, and develop some of the cutting-edge technologies that keep our service members safe and keep Michigan at the very center of our national security efforts,” Peters said in a recorded video address. 

The senator’s remarks highlighted the importance of sustained collaboration among government, academia, and industry in advancing future military capabilities. At a time when digital engineering, artificial intelligence, autonomy, and human-machine teaming are transforming how military systems are developed and assessed, Peters emphasized the importance of maintaining America’s leadership in innovation. 

For more than three decades, the ARC has served as the U.S. Army’s Center of Excellence for modeling, simulation, and digital engineering research for ground vehicle systems. Through its partnership with the U.S. Army Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC) and a nationwide consortium of universities, the ARC brings together Army scientists, academic researchers, industry engineers, and students to address some of the most challenging problems in military mobility, autonomy, advanced materials, intelligent power systems, and systems integration. 

Peters also recognized the collaborative foundation that underpins the ARC’s success, noting that many of its projects are conducted in Michigan through partnerships with leading institutions, including the University of Michigan and Michigan State University. 

As one of the nation’s historic centers of automotive innovation, Michigan continues to play a unique role in advancing both civilian and defense mobility technologies. Peters emphasized the importance of sustaining that leadership in the years ahead. 

“Michigan is a proud auto manufacturing state, which means we have the expertise and the skills needed to support the powerful ground vehicles that our armed forces depend on each and every day,” he said. “It’s absolutely critical that Michigan remains at the forefront of automotive and ground vehicle innovation in the years ahead."

A central focus of the senator’s message was the importance of sustained investment in research partnerships that strengthen both national security and American technological leadership. Peters highlighted his support for the long-standing collaboration between the ARC and GVSC in Warren, Michigan. 

“I’ve advocated and secured increased funding for your partnership with the Ground Vehicle Systems Center in Warren,” Peters said. “This partnership with GVSC is so important to both the future of our state and our country." 

The ARC-GVSC partnership has become a nationally recognized model for collaborative research. By integrating Army priorities with university research and industry expertise, the partnership accelerates digital engineering for advances in off-road autonomy, human-autonomy teaming, intelligent power systems, advanced materials, and systems integration. The resulting research not only supports Army modernization priorities but also contributes to workforce development, scientific discovery, and technological competitiveness. 

These priorities were reflected throughout the Annual Program Review, where researchers shared advances across the ARC portfolio and demonstrated how emerging technologies can support future Army transformation efforts. Discussions explored how digital engineering, modeling and simulation, artificial intelligence, and adaptable autonomous systems can help accelerate the development, evaluation, and deployment of future capabilities for increasingly complex operational environments. 

ARC Director Perspective 

Prof. Bogdan Epureanu, Director of the Automotive Research Center, expressed appreciation for Senator Peters’ continued support of research partnerships that connect universities, government laboratories, industry, and students. 

“Senator Peters has been a strong advocate for the innovation ecosystem that enables long-term scientific and technological progress,” said Epureanu. “His remarks reflect the value of sustained collaboration among Army researchers, academic institutions, and industry partners. Through these partnerships, the ARC continues to advance the scientific foundations of future ground systems while educating the next generation of engineering leaders.” 

Accelerating Army Transformation Through Research Partnerships 

Dr. David Gorsich, Chief Scientist of the U.S. Army Ground Vehicle Systems Center, noted that the ARC continues to provide an important bridge between scientific discovery and future Army capability development. 

“The strength of the ARC lies in its ability to bring together diverse expertise to solve difficult problems that no single organization can address alone,” said Gorsich. “The partnership enables us to explore emerging technologies, develop new scientific understanding, and create pathways for innovation that support future Army needs." 

Peters concluded his message by emphasizing the broader significance of the work being conducted across the ARC consortium. 

“The technologies you are all spearheading will help prepare our military for the battlefield of the future," he said. 

He closed by thanking the researchers, students, Army scientists, and industry partners whose efforts continue to drive innovation across the ARC consortium. 

“Thank you again for the work that all of you are doing to create and usher in these new technologies," Peters said. 

As researchers, Army scientists, students, and industry partners continued discussions throughout the Annual Program Review, the senator’s message served as a reminder that the future of military mobility depends on sustained investment in research, talent development, and collaboration. Through its partnership with GVSC and its nationwide network of universities, the ARC continues to advance the digital engineering, autonomy, and mobility technologies that will help define the next generation of Army capabilities.