Johnson Controls recently announced it will partner with Lawrence Technological University (LTU) in Southfield, Mich., to identify and validate new energy storage technologies within the total vehicle system.

The research will facilitate Johnson Controls’ ongoing efforts to help automakers meet fuel economy and emissions standards, help consumers save money at the pump, and deliver improved vehicle performance and functionality.

Johnson Controls will donate and install state-of-the-art test equipment and deploy technical resources to the university to propel academic and applied research into optimizing vehicle and battery design.

"We believe strongly in building the next generation of technical leaders through academic partnerships," said MaryAnn Wright, vice president of engineering and product development for Johnson Controls Power Solutions. "Our partnership with LTU is an example of our commitment to developing new battery technologies. It is also an investment in both the future of academic research in energy management as well as the development of the talent pipeline for our industry," said Wright, who joined LTU’s board of trustees in 2013. 

The partnership with Johnson Controls is part of a broader effort by Lawrence Tech to proactively respond to the needs of its corporate partners with innovative academic and research programs. "We are helping corporate partners develop market-based solutions while providing highly talented students with real-world experiences and skills that positively impact the companies they work for," said Virinder Moudgil, president of LTU.

LTU is leveraging its faculty expertise and research facilities in energy storage systems, electrification applications, modeling and simulation, and vehicle testing to assist Johnson Controls in meeting its progressive research-and-development objectives.

"Strong industry relationships have long been the foundation of LTU’s theory and practice model of education. This corporate partnership with Johnson Controls signals a new era of applied research and systems engineering that advances our theory and practice model of education to a new level of engagement," said Moudgil. "Our students will benefit from the real-world experiences and opportunities provided by Johnson Controls that will prepare them for great leadership positions in energy storage technology and management."