ANN ARBOR - NASA has awarded a $39 million contract to the University of Michigan for the Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System at the University of Michigan for mission operations and closeout. A constellation of eight microsatellites, the system can view storms more frequently and in a way traditional satellites are unable to, increasing scientists’
JACKSON—Officials at Consumers Energy have announced a proposal to stop using coal as a fuel source for electricity by 2025, 15 years faster than previously planned. The plan would make the company one of the first in the nation to go coal-free and provide a 20-year blueprint to meet Michigan’s energy needs while protecting the environment for future generations. “We are proud to lead Michigan’s
DEARBORN—Officials at Ford Motor Co. announced the acquisition of Electriphi, a California-based provider of charging management and fleet monitoring software for electric vehicles. Electriphi’s team and services will be integrated into Ford Pro, a new global business within Ford committed to commercial customer productivity and to developing the most advanced charging and energy management experiences.
TROY—Officials at Electric Last Mile Inc. announced Monday that a working prototype of the Urban Utility, the company’s all-electric, medium-duty, cab-forward truck will be demonstrated at the Remote Consultant Contractor Expo July 30 and 31 in Nashville Tenn. The expo is the largest independent gathering of FedEx Ground contractors in the world. The company will
SOUTHFIELD—After taking a year off due to the pandemic, it was back to form for Lawrence Technological University at the 28th Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition (IGVC), held Friday through Monday, June 4-7, at Oakland University in Rochester. LTU took first place in the Self-Drive Challenge, one of two competitions at the IGVC. LTU also won
ANN ARBOR—When COVID-19 forced Americans to stay home, many turned to streaming, taking solace in their ability to binge-watch entertainment of all shapes and sizes. But it was only a matter of time before fatigue set in. After a steady mark last year, customer satisfaction with video streaming tumbled 2.6% to a score of 74
TROY—The latest studies from the customer experience analytics firm J.D. Power found that a record 67% of retail bank customers in the United States used their bank’s mobile app during the past year, up seven percentage points from 2020, and a record 41% of bank customers are now classified as digital-only. According to a series
MARQUETTE—Officials at Marquette-based Able Medical Devices announced the launch of its Valkyrie Thoracic Fixation System, saying it’s the market’s first single-use radiolucent plating system designed to span the osteotomy and close the sternum after open heart surgery. The system’s unique material properties allow the implant to be contoured in-situ, which saves time and improves efficiency
DEARBORN—Ford Motor Co. announced the launch of a new “net zero automotive program” with West Sacramento, Calif.-based Origin Materials. Origin’s Net Zero Automotive Program is a sustainable automotive supply chain initiative focused on industrializing new materials to drive decarbonization in the automotive industry. Origin officials say newly developed and industrialized materials, derived from sustainable wood
YPSILANTI—Eastern Michigan University announced the receipt of a $1 million gift from automotive entrepreneur Jack Roush, EMU alumnus and chairman of the board of Roush Enterprises, and founder, CEO, and co-owner of NASCAR racing team, Roush Fenway Racing. The gift from Roush will support mathematics and automotive programs in the University’s GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology. “This
