Automotive and Industrial – Current Projects

Jacobs provides test operations, management, brokering, and/or test support services for Ford Motor Company at 16 site locations including Allen Park, Dearborn, and Milford, MI. The Driveability Test Facility (DTF), designed and constructed by Jacobs in Allen Park, Michigan, and the Dearborn Development Center (DDC) Wind Tunnels, located in Dearborn, Michigan, encompass all of the directed air climatic facilities used by Ford as part of their product development and certification programs. This collection of test facilities encompasses five climatic wind tunnels and one aero-acoustic wind tunnel. Additionally, all of Ford’s Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) testing is conducted by Jacobs through an arrangement with General Motors (GM) whereby Ford vehicles are tested in a GM facility. This arrangement was the first of its kind in the highly competitive automotive industry. Today, our EMC operations model is still the only instance in the automotive industry where one competitor is accomplishing 100% of their prototype vehicle pre-production sign-off at another competitor’s Proving Ground. Likewise, Jacobs personnel are deployed across a number of Ford test sites, conducting calibrations, safety evaluations, emissions, and performance tests.  We are also helping Ford to consolidate their powertrain testing capabilities in North America. – hide

Jacobs constructed and commissioned BMW’s AVZ – a new aerodynamic research and development center located in Munich, Germany. Jacobs provided the design, construction, startup, and commissioning of the facility, which encompasses an aerodynamic model wind tunnel, a full-scale wind tunnel, and a large supporting building – providing BMW with a state-of-the-art technical facility to develop next generation vehicles. – hide

Jacobs provided design/build and startup services for GM’s High Feature Test Facility, located in Milford, Michigan, which includes two wind tunnels used to support GM’s vehicle emissions certification programs by adding altitude simulation, among other climatic testing and simulation capabilities. Since 1979, Jacobs has provided engineering services to GM and its affiliates in support of 100+ design/build projects and/or operations contracts valued at more than $90M. – hide

At Chrysler’s Technology Center, located in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Jacobs’ support encompasses a full menu of our capabilities. We provided design, construction support, and commissioning for the Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Test Facility and the Environmental Test Center (ETC), both of which include five types of test chambers. The EMC chambers measure electromagnetic emissions, while the ETC chambers are utilized for environmental and emissions testing over a range of simulated temperature, humidity, and altitude conditions. Our support to the Aero-Acoustic Wind Tunnel (AAWT) began with design, construction support, and aerodynamic and acoustic commissioning, and continues today with maintenance services. Ranked as one of the world’s elite aerodynamic wind tunnels, the AAWT can accommodate a broad range of aerodynamic and acoustic test applications. As a precursor to the AAWT, we provided design, construction support, and commissioning for a 3/8th scale Aerodynamic, Thermodynamic, Acoustic Wind Tunnel (ATAWT). For the Powertrain Test Center (PTC), we provided design, software and network development, instrumentation development, system integration, and commissioning for more than 120 test cells. Jacobs currently provides maintenance management consulting and on-site support services for Facility Maintenance and Facility Engineering Groups at the Technology Center. – hide

Jacobs provides design and design/build services to Honda at multiple international sites as part of our long-term relationship, and Jacobs is currently providing the design and construction of an automotive wind tunnel in Japan to test full-scale vehicles. The test programs in this new wind tunnel will be dedicated to vehicle development, fuel efficiency, and reduced emissions. This is our fourth wind tunnel for Honda; we previously delivered three climatic wind tunnels for Honda in North America. In addition, we are currently providing maintenance services at Honda’s Technical Center in Raymond, Ohio. – hide

Jacobs’ motorsport experience includes delivery of numerous wind tunnels, with 10 currently in operation and two in development, spanning adaptive wall, open jet, solid wall, and slotted wall configurations. Our adaptive wall technology has been proven to provide unsurpassed fidelity of aerodynamic simulation, providing wind tunnel-to-open track correlation without the need for data correction. Major motorsport clients have entrusted us with the design, build, operation, and maintenance of many of the world’s most complex test facilities. Our motorsport wind tunnel experience includes:

• Four adaptive wall motorsport wind tunnels for confidential clients (UK)
• Open jet motorsport wind tunnel for Windshear, Inc. (USA)
• Open jet/adaptive wall wind tunnel for confidential client (Japan)
• General Motors Aerodynamic Laboratory Wind Tunnel (USA)
• Lockheed Martin Low Speed Wind Tunnel (USA)
• Ford Driveability Test Facility Wind Tunnel 8 (USA)
• Chrysler Aero-Acoustic Wind Tunnel (USA)
• Chrysler 3/8-Scale Wind Tunnel (USA)
• Solid/slotted wall motorsport wind tunnel for confidential client (Germany)

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