True
to its namesake, former Mechanical Engineering Professor Walter E. Lay
(BSE ME '15), the Lay Automotive Lab has supported education and research
since the early 1900s. Today, the Lab's research interests are wide-ranging
but generally associated with: engine combustion, emissions control,
friction, fuel efficiency, vehicular hybrid propulsion and electronics
design, and vehicle aerodynamics. It encompasses twelve engine test
cells, a high-bay vehicle laboratory, machine shops, and instructional
and computer laboratories, including Fluid Mechanics. Michigan Engineering's
proximity to Detroit -- the heart of the nation's auto industry -- has
made the Lay Automotive Lab a vital contributor to industry.