History

UMTRI was founded in 1965 with a $10 million grant from Ford, GM, and the Automobile Manufacturers Association.

At that time over 50,000 people were dying in traffic events annually in the U.S. alone. Originally called the Highway Safety Research Institute, its founding mission was to analyze the elements of the complex and dynamic system of people, automotive vehicles, and the environments in which they operate, and to develop practical and effective solutions to urgent problems of highway safety within that system. 

From the beginning, researchers were encouraged to be bold, courageous, and seek collaborations across the university.

During the 1970s, UMTRI researchers began work to make crash test dummies more realistic to better protect people in cars, including children. 

UMTRI published a landmark study of driver body shape and posture, Anthropometry of Motor Vehicle Occupants, that has served as the design basis for adult-sized crash test dummies for nearly 40 years. The work continues today.

The Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system for child safety seat installation was born out of UMTRI’s work on occupant restraint. LATCH was designed to simplify car seat installation by providing standard anchor points, ensuring new vehicles were equipped to protect children better.

Michigan’s first seatbelt law was passed in 1985.

UMTRI researchers David W. Eby, Lisa J. Molnar, and Michelle L. Olk tracked safety belt use in Michigan from 1984 to 1998. They found that the use of seat belts in the state increased dramatically immediately after Michigan passed a secondary enforcement law in 1985—from less than 20% of drivers and front-seat passengers to more than 60%. 

A vehicle dynamics and modeling startup was spun out in the 1990s.

UMTRI researchers honed their 3D modeling and simulation capabilities through decades of studying and validating vehicle dynamics. The startup Mechanical Simulation Corporation was spun out from UMTRI to offer the auto industry a new way to accurately and realistically predict real-world vehicle behavior. The company supported more than 200 OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers and was purchased in 2022 by Applied Intuition.

In 2012 UMTRI conducted the world’s largest connected vehicle pilot.

2,800 drivers traveled 71 million miles in the world’s first large-scale connected vehicle deployment. Ann Arbor, Michigan became the “sandbox” for connected vehicle technology testing and development. The study goal was to pilot a connected vehicle system that included roadside units (RSUs) fixed to specific intersections and vehicle-based communication units. This $25 million effort launched in 2012 with the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). UMTRI’s Safety Pilot Model Deployment showed connected vehicles can reduce unimpaired crashes by 80%.

UMTRI joined forces with Michigan Engineering, one of the nation’s premier engineering colleges.

In July 2019 this merger forged two key players in advanced transportation and mobility research, to more effectively move the sector into the 21st century in ways that are safe, equitable, and efficient. This move has allowed us to bring together complementary strengths, combining expertise in transportation technology, biosciences, human factors, and data science, as well as the social and behavioral sciences. This merger also gives UMTRI researchers greater access to a wide range of engineering resources including labs, faculty, and, in particular, students.

Based on UMTRI research, GM made five active safety features standard on most 2023 vehicles.

As General Motors moves toward its vision of a world with zero crashes, the company partnered with the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) to understand the real-world effectiveness of some of its available active safety features.

An UMTRI study examining GM safety features indicated Automatic Emergency Braking, together with Forward Collision Alert, reduced rear-end striking crashes by 42%. Front Pedestrian Braking reduced front pedestrian crashes by 23% and Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning reduced roadway departure crashes by 15%.

In 2025, UMTRI expanded to include Mcity.

Both UMTRI and Mcity have helped establish U-M as a global leader in transportation and mobility research, with work that has touched on everything from safety, to planning, to new autonomous and connected vehicle technologies. In March 2025, the two joined forces when UMTRI expanded to include Mcity. Henry Liu, director of Mcity, now leads UMTRI as well. Liu took over from James Sayer, UMTRI’s director since 2016, who remains on staff as a research scientist.