The University of Michigan is fusing its longstanding leadership in transportation safety with its distinct expertise in testing connected and automated vehicle technologies.

U-M’s Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) is expanding to include the Mcity public/private partnership and test facility. Henry Liu, Mcity’s director since 2022, will lead the expanded UMTRI.

Liu takes over for James Sayer, UMTRI’s director for the past nine years, who will remain as a research scientist. The change is a homecoming of sorts for the Mcity Test Facility. UMTRI leaders including Sayer—along with industry and government partners—envisioned, developed and launched Mcity in 2015 as the world’s first purpose-built test track for connected and automated vehicles.

The new era begins as UMTRI marks its 60^th anniversary and the Mcity Test Facility its 10^th.