Macomb Community College receives grant to improve training facilities for students at the Center for Advanced Automotive Technology

Automotive Technology students at Macomb Community College are soon to gain access to new equipment which will expand their knowledge of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), which include the technology used in automated vehicles and for vehicles with features such as blind spot detection and adaptive cruise control. Administrators are eager to provide this new training capability to give future graduates greater opportunities for employment.

The new equipment purchase was made possible by a grant from the Margaret Dunning Foundation, a local organization founded by philanthropist Margaret Dunning in 1997. Dunning was well known in southwest Michigan as a businesswoman and civic booster. During her lifetime Dunning was a supporter of many area nonprofits and she was also a classic car enthusiast. Her foundation continues to support educational initiatives and often focuses resources toward improving automotive education.

MCC released an announcement about the grant and what it will allow the school to offer its students. Director of the Center for Advanced Automotive Technology, Ben Cruz, said, "This new equipment enables us to provide our automotive students with a state-of-the-art education in ADAS systems, making them better prepared for the workplace. As the automotive industry continues the shift to connected and automated vehicles, ADAS-enabled vehicles are more and more common every day. To keep pace, employers are looking to hire technicians with hands-on experience with these systems."