Hyundai announced Tuesday it is establishing a Safety Test and Investigation Laboratory (STIL) at its research and development center near Ann Arbor.
The Hyundai America Technical Center is based in Superior Township, just north of Ypsilanti and east of Ann Arbor. In all, the automaker is investing more than $50 million in the new laboratory.
According to Hyundai, the new facility will include a field crash investigation lab, high voltage battery lab, forensics lab, 500M track and a vehicle dynamics area pad, all scheduled to be operational by the fall of next year.
“We are proud to expand upon our ‘safety first’ commitment by developing a new Safety Test and Investigation Laboratory,” Brian Latouf, Hyundai North America's chief safety officer, said. “With the added testing and investigation capabilities of the STIL, we will better understand customer vehicle issues, identify and address defects and analyze vehicle systems more efficiently with our own, on-site laboratory. The access to real-world data will help accelerate our pursuit of a best-in-class safety office and enable effective safety technologies to help protect our customers and their families.”
According to Hyundai, about 150 jobs are expected to be added to support the facility.
“Hyundai America Technical Center is excited to collaborate with Hyundai Motor North America (HMNA) on a state-of-the art safety test laboratory at our Michigan R&D campus,” said John Robb, president, HATCI. “Having on-site access to perform real-world evaluations further enhances our safety commitment to our customers and emphasizes our commitment to the region.”
