Peters to Host Dr. Paul Rogers, Director of TARDEC for Presidential Address to Congress
WASHINGTON, DC—U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, will be hosting Dr. Paul Rogers, Director of the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) as his guest for President Trump’s address to the joint session of Congress this evening. Headquartered at the U.S. Army Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Michigan, TARDEC is the U.S. Army’s primary automotive research, development and engineering center focused on the development of advanced technologies for military ground vehicles.
“TARDEC is leading groundbreaking research that keeps our military at the forefront of new technological developments that improves safety for our servicemembers, supports Michigan’s leading role in the transformation of mobility and drives our growing defense manufacturing sector,” said Senator Peters. “I’m honored to have Dr. Rogers as my guest for the President’s address to recognize TARDEC’s innovative work that will ensure our servicemembers are prepared for the next frontier of warfare.”
“TARDEC's engineers are proudly leading innovative research and development efforts and collaborating with our industry partners to leverage the newest technologies that will greatly support our Soldiers’ ground vehicles on the battlefield,” said Dr. Paul Rogers, Director of TARDEC. “I thank Senator Peters for inviting me to attend the Presidential Address to Congress, and for his efforts to highlight TARDEC's mission to engineer technological solutions that will help the U.S. Army remain a leader in cutting-edge capabilities.”
Founded in 1946 as the Tank-Automotive Components Laboratory, TARDEC serves as the nation’s laboratory for the development of advanced military ground vehicle technologies. Their research includes testing the use of vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications technologies, and automated driving systems for long-haul convoy driving to help reduce the risks to soldiers in the field. TARDEC recently worked with the Michigan Department of Transportation to conduct testing of connected tractor-trailers along I-69 in Michigan.
TARDEC is also working to develop fuel alternatives for military vehicles, and unveiled their Chevrolet Colorado ZH2 Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) at the 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Built in partnership with General Motors, the FCEV prototype vehicle tests the potential of using hydrogen fuel cells as a fuel source for military vehicles. The hydrogen fuel cell technology is quieter and more efficient than a traditional combustion engine, and generates water as a byproduct that servicemembers can capture and reuse when deployed in harsh environments.
Peters is a former Lt. Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve and a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. He serves on the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, which is responsible for policies and programs related to technology based research and development, as well as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Peters is also a strong proponent of Michigan’s leadership in the research and development of connected and automated vehicle technologies. Many Michigan automotive manufacturers have diversified their businesses to include defense and aerospace manufacturing.
