Fueling Detroit’s Creative Economy

June 27, 2011

By Ed Welburn, Vice President GM Global Design and CCS Board of Trustees member

Full house in the GM Auditorium

This week, General Motors and the College for Creative Studies (CCS) are celebrating two important developments. Both reaffirm a mutual commitment to the city of Detroit and the people and institutions that fuel its creative economy. Both are significant and serve as an opportunity to envision the bright and exciting future that lies ahead, but also the creative excellence and thriving spirit of innovation that helped define its remarkable past as the birthplace of automotive design.

1947 photo of Harley Earl and his Styling team

The first announcement is the $2.5 million donation from the GM Foundation donation to CCS to support the ongoing $145 million redevelopment of the college’s A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education. GM donated this building to the college in 2008, and this week’s donation deepens the partnership with this unparalleled educational complex serving middle school, high school, college and graduate students and the creative professionals that support their studies.

Students at Henry Ford Academy-School for Creative Studies

The second announcement is the formal dedication on the 11th floor of this historic building as the General Motors Auditorium. Back in the late ‘20s and ‘30s, design schools did not have a major in transportation design, so Harley Earl, GM’s first vice president of design, established a department called Design Development and referred to it as “The School,” so young employees with a passion for automobiles and artistic talent could be trained in the fundamentals of automotive design. The names of the talented designers who got their start here is impressive, as are the breakthrough automobiles they turned out. Names like Bill Mitchell and Chuck Jordan spent their formative years there, along with others who went on to design careers at other companies, including Virgil Exner, Dick Teague, Gene Bordinat, Homer LaGassey and Gordon Buehrig—men considered among the most prominent in automotive design history.

CCS Transportation Design student shapes foam model

Today this space is the training ground for the creative community of the 21st Century. CCS’s undergraduate and graduate degree programs in design; a design research center; dining facility; retail and gallery spaces; the Henry Ford Academy; the School for Creative Studies, a new public charter for middle and high schoolers focused on art and design; and the Detroit Creative Corridor Center (DC3) are housed here. It is providing pathways for inner-city students to careers in creative professions and increasing minority representation in them.

Harley Earl in his 11th floor office

It’s especially gratifying for me to see the GM Auditorium space and building come full circle. Harley Earl’s office was located in the northeast corner of the 11th floor, and I’m certain he would be proud to see how his tradition of excellence, creativity and innovation is inspiring others today and for generations to come. It is in honor and keeping of the legacy of design that we present CCS with a bronze bust of his likeness to serve as a reminder and tribute for all that occupy that space now called the Harley Earl Lounge.

General Motors Vice President Global Design and CCS Trustee Ed Welburn presents a bust of former GM Design Director Harley Earl

Join the Main Street in Motion

June 24, 2011

By Gay Kent, Executive Director, Vehicle Safety and Crash Worthiness

Earlier this year GM launched its Main Street in Motion campaign in Miami featuring Chevy, Buick and GMC vehicles. Armed with around 70 vehicles, 25 of which are competitive makes, we’re taking to the streets in cities across the country asking readers like you to put our lineups to the test and tell us what you think. Today we are launching the safety element of the event and it means a great deal to me. We have a continuous safety strategy of protection; before, during and after a crash.

Chevrolet, Buick and GMC, in a joint effort with Main Street in Motion, are hosting a vehicle safety event in the Washington, D.C. area. Come out and learn about the

safety features that we have designed in our vehicles. Experience the benefits of Stabilitrak, view a Chevrolet Cruze that was crash tested at 40 m/h and learn about the importance of our rollover mitigation system with the Buick Enclave.

Chevy is displaying a crashed Chevrolet Cruze with air bags deployed. The Cruze is the first vehicle in the compact segment to have 10 standard air bags.

Buick showcases a cutaway Enclave to help explain its Rollover Mitigation Technology that is actually designed to predict rollovers, a bit psychic in a way.

GMC: Do you know what StabiliTrak is? At this stop we offer the opportunity to participate in a crash avoidance demonstration with a professional driver at the wheel. A simulated loss of control track experience will show you how it’s actually designed to help keep the vehicle heading in the direction the driver intended.

If you’re in the D.C. area I encourage you to join us this weekend at Main Street in Motion. For those of you elsewhere, make sure to check out our event listings to see where the tour is headed next.

Chevrolet, Buick and GMC, in a joint effort with Main Street in Motion, are hosting a vehicle safety event in the Washington, D.C. area. Come out and learn about the safety features that we have designed in our vehicles. Experience the benefits of Stabilitrak, view a Chevrolet Cruze that was crash tested at 40 m/h and learn about the importance of our rollover mitigation system with the Buick Enclave.

Chevy is displaying a crashed Chevrolet Cruze with air bags deployed. The Cruze is the first vehicle in the compact segment to have 10 standard air bags.
Buick showcases a cutaway Enclave to help explain its Rollover Mitigation Technology that is actually designed to predict rollovers–a bit psychic in a way.
GMC: Do you know what StabiliTrak is? At this stop we offer the opportunity to participate in a crash avoidance demonstration with a professional driver at the wheel. A simulated loss of control track experience will show you how it’s actually designed to help keep the vehicle heading in the direction the driver intended.

A Revolutionary Time for Our Industry

June 22, 2011

Editor’s Note: This story from Jon Lauckner, GM Ventures president, was originally posted on the Voltage blog: http://bit.ly/mFCkSx. Jon was recently honored at the Automotive News’ “Electrifying 100” event earlier this month. In his Voltage post, Jon explains how far GM has come since the announcement of the Volt and what’s next to come.

Last night, I had the honor of being recognized as one of the “Electrifying 100” by Automotive News. It was a great privilege to be included with so many others who have made vehicle electrification a reality.

When I was thinking about what I would like to say at the event, I reflected on the last few years in our industry and realized just how far we’ve come with electric vehicles. Five years ago, very few companies were even planning to build an electric vehicle. Now, nearly every manufacturer either has one on the road or is planning one.

In our case, the Chevrolet Volt represents what’s possible for electric vehicles. Four years ago, we had the idea to create an electric vehicle that was fun to drive, easy to operate and practical to own. When people said it couldn’t happen because the battery technology wasn’t advanced enough, we accepted that challenge head-on and produced an award-winning electric vehicle with extended-range capability. The Volt evolved from being a proof point of what was possible to a starting point for the emergence of new electric vehicle technologies that few thought was possible just a few short years ago.

This shift to electric vehicles is creating new sectors in the automotive industry – everything from battery developers to charging manufacturers. For proof, look no further than General Motors. In the last few years, besides bringing the Volt to market, GM has:

Established the largest OEM battery lab in the United States
Hired 1,000 new engineers and researchers
Invested more than $800 million in electrification technology in Michigan (for more, see this post from last week)

The story doesn’t end there – in fact, it’s just beginning. Last year GM Ventures was formed to help discover and invest in innovative auto-related technologies, including next-generation propulsion systems. The technologies we uncover today will be in the GM vehicles tomorrow. Not only will our customers have access to the best technology, but we can help nurture these innovations and deliver them to a global industry.

We have the unique opportunity to create a new kind of automobile – one that uses an electric propulsion system, electricity instead of petroleum and connected smart-grid technologies. We can achieve great things and make electric vehicles a driving force in our world.

I can’t wait to see what happens next.

A Look Inside GM Technical Center’s Restoration

June 16, 2011

By Delf Dodge
Director, Global Operations, GM Research

This year marks the 55th anniversary of the GM Technical Center – an ideal time to reflect on the innovative and flexible plan of its architect, Eero Saarinen, what’s being done to preserve this architectural masterpiece, and to prepare it for the generations of employees to come.

Over the years, a team of GM employees have helped to maintain the campus’ integrity and earn it a spot on the National Register of Historic Places, the designation as a “Most Outstanding Architectural Achievements of its Era” from the American Institute of Architects, and a “Michigan Top 10 Architectural Gem.” Their interest, understanding and commitment are vital to our community of designers, researchers, engineers and craftspeople who draw inspiration and context from the property and its physical spaces for the world class cars and trucks they create today. They are also instrumental in making sure GM employees have access to the cutting edge technology, tools and equipment that are vital to our global footprint and competitiveness.

Continue reading →

In the Wake of Destruction…

June 15, 2011

Otie McKinley
South Central Regional Communications

If a catastrophe were to strike your community, you’d be faced with two choices; turn inward and focus on your own misfortunes, or set them aside and rally for those less fortunate around you. Which would you choose?

Just over two weeks ago, a devastating tornado hit the city of Joplin, Mo., leaving nothing but tragedy in its wake. It’s always difficult to try to find the silver lining in such an unfortunate situation, but our South Central General Motors employees stepped up, and they stepped up strong. The morning after an F-5 tornado ripped through Joplin, Chevrolet employees Gabriel Ismaio and Ken Sadowski rushed from Springfield to Crossroads Chevrolet, a dealership in Joplin, to make sure the dealership employees and families were okay. What they saw compelled them to help personally and to get area dealers Involved as well.

The local support efforts began almost immediately. Area Chevrolet dealers Reliable, Mayse, Crossroads and Hulett donated a combined $80,000. In addition to financial donations, another local dealer bought 2,500 burgers, buns and all the condiments, and spent the day grilling burgers at a church in the west side of Joplin. They also donated needed supplies to one of the collection centers. Hanks Chevrolet committed a portion of its proceeds of every car sold to the Joplin Red Cross through the month of June.

The outpour of help continued from both Wentzville and Fairfax Assembly plants where UAW Locals 31 and 2250 raised an additional $10,000 through gate donation drives.

More help arrived from OnStar when they opened our Crisis Assist Services for subscribers in the Joplin area, providing free hands-free calling minutes and access to advisors who can provide directions.

Capping off the efforts, the GM Foundation donated $100,000 to the Red Cross, and gave two full size Chevrolet vans to the United Way to help with recovery efforts.

Collectively, the General Motors Family contributed more than $250.000 to the Joplin relief efforts.

I look through pictures. I hear the stories. I can’t begin to fathom the challenges and the losses that the folks in Joplin are currently experiencing. I applaud their tenacity and their courage, and I’m thankful the GM Family was able to rally and make the choice to put others’ misfortune first and foremost.