GM Donates $70,000 to Carnegie Mellon

One of the fields of research in the automotive industry that will probably not spawn a viable product in the near future is gaining an increased attention for established manufacturers. We are talking about autonomous driving projects, the focus of so many brilliant minds, and yet so far from becoming an applicable reality.

Still, car makers seem to love the idea, and important amounts of money are still sent to be used by the researchers. The latest such feat belongs to GM, who announced today it would donate $70,000 to the Carnegie Mellon University and its students.

“Our support of Carnegie Mellon is guided by the belief that investment in science and technology education will help shape the automotive future and strengthen the nation’s global competitiveness,’’ said Walt Dorfstatter, GM executive director of Research and Development.

“Automotive companies are making great strides in developing and adopting new technologies and Carnegie Mellon’s exceptional programs foster a new generation of talent that can significantly accelerate the pace of automotive innovation.’’

The money will be used by the university to fund graduate student fellowships, undergraduate scholarships and student organizations. Carnegie and GM have been partners since 2000 and already developed a next-gen vehicle information technology and autonomous driving system. Together, the two won the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge using an autonomous Chevrolet Tahoe.

“Our long-standing collaboration with GM and the GM Foundation is an important part of Carnegie Mellon’s focus as we strive to provide skilled leaders and innovators so critical to helping the nation remain competitive in an ever-changing global environment,’’ said Ed Schlesinger, head of Carnegie Mellon’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Department.