The Ford Motor Company Robotics Building is a new national centerpiece in robotics research, learning, and collaboration.
Opened in 2021, the Ford Robotics building is the home of Michigan Robotics. The 134,000-square-foot, four-story complex houses classrooms, offices, a cafe, and a startup-style open collaboration area and tailored lab space for a variety of robotic technologies. A few highlights include:
- Three-story fly zone for autonomous aerial vehicles
- An outdoor obstacle course for walking robots
- High-bay garage space for self-driving cars
- A rehabilitation lab with a Stewart platform, force plates, and dual-tread treadmill
- A robotics maker space with CNC, 3D printers, soldering irons, and other shop tools
- A 10,000 gallon research water tank with motion capture cameras for marine robotics
- An outdoor Mars Yard with imitation martian rocks and soil for testing rovers
- Earned Gold LEED Certification for its construction and design
The building serves as the hub for the Robotics Department, its undergraduate and graduate programs in robotics, and the array of robotics research led by its faculty.
What is its purpose?
The Ford Robotics Building brings all parts of the robotics enterprise together for real-world results.
The new building is designed to promote collaborative work across disciplines, involving students and faculty at all levels, from a variety of fields. It also promotes collaboration with external partners, many of which offer students opportunities through classroom projects or independent research. It has spaces for teaching, experimentation, and testing, in purpose-built bays and laboratories that represent the state of the art.
These facilities support a particularly distinctive characteristic of Michigan Robotics: its focus on hardware as well as software.
Michigan Robotics emphasizes making real robots. Many roboticists specialize in simulations, but implementing a real machine in the real world poses real challenges. These new spaces enable Michigan roboticists to take full advantage of their hands-on orientation in research and teaching, as they work to build machines that better society.
In a next-level neighborhood
Among the many facilities open to Michigan Robotics students, faculty, and researchers, several provide unique opportunities to develop technologies safely, nimbly, and creatively.
The M-Air Net is a 10,000 sq ft, four-story, netted scientific facility that enables the study of autonomy and collaborative robotics in the "wild," with emphasis on dealing with the full range of Michigan weather, -30C to 38C, with rain, sleet, wind, and snow.
Mcity is a public-private partnership that operates the world's first purpose-built proving ground for testing the performance and safety of connected and automated vehicles and technologies under controlled and realistic conditions, all on the Michigan campus.
And the College of Engineering and University of Michigan have an astounding array of additional world-class facilities, including a nanofabrication lab, wind tunnels, a battery lab, and more.
Building tours
Find comprehensive information about our tours on our Building Tours site, including:
- Audio tour details
Self-guided and available anytime on your mobile device.
- Any upcoming staffed tour schedules
Typically student-guided tours on select Fridays during Fall and Winter semesters.
- Prospective undergraduate College tours
Perfect for high school students exploring college options.
- Special tour requests
Custom arrangements for unique needs or timing.
We kindly request that you respect the focus and concentration of our researchers in the labs during any visit to the building. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
Related links
Address
Ford Motor Company Robotics Building
2505 Hayward St
Ann Arbor, MI
48109-2106
Transit, Parking, & Travel
AATA / TheRide: At the Hayward & Draper stop on Route 22 or Route 66.
U-M Bus: 5 minute walk from the FXB stop or Hubbard/Hayward stop on Commuter North, Northwood, Med Express, or North-East Shuttle.
Visitor Parking: Lot NC-26 is paid visitor parking at $2.40/hour.
Airport: Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW), see more airport information.
Accommodations: Search for hotels near North Campus, or see more hotel information.