The United States Army DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC) (formerly United States Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC)), located in Warren, Michigan, is the United States Armed Forces' research and development facility for advanced technology in ground systems. It is part of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Futures Command. GVSC shares its facilities with the United States Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM). Current technology focus areas include Ground Vehicle Power and Mobility (GVPM), Ground System Survivability and Force Protection, among others. Laboratories It features a number of research laboratories, including: Laser Protection Laboratory Crew Station Systems Integration Laboratory Robotic Systems Integration Laboratory Ground Vehicle Simulation Laboratory — ride motion simulator, pintle motion based simulator, crew station/turret motion based simulator and several vehicle "shaker" facilities High Performance Computing Laboratory — supports virtual prototyping and design development of combat vehicles and improves virtual reality capabilities Next Generation Software Laboratory Water Laboratory Petroleum Laboratory — researches properties and durability of a wide range of fuel including JP-8, Diesel, hydraulic fluids and lubricants Bridging Simulation Laboratory — Located at Selfridge Air National Guard base, this facility features computer-controlled load test areas with automated data acquisition capability for structural testing of bridging systems. Laboratory capabilities include static and dynamic structural load application for structural and fatigue testing. Propulsion Test Laboratory Physical and Rapid Prototyping Laboratory Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Center — researches a variety of alternative vehicle structural materials, including composite materials Center for Systems Integration (CSI) Advanced joining research facility (fusion & friction stir welding, adhesives and mechanical fasteners) Vehicle Protection Integration Laboratory (VPIL) Ground System Power and Energy Laboratory (GSPEL) (opened April 2012) Power and Energy Vehicle Environment Laboratory (PEVEL) Fuel Cell Research Laboratory Energy Storage Laboratory Air Filtration Laboratory Electric Components Laboratory Power Laboratory Thermal Management Laboratory Calorimeter Laboratory Robotic Power and Energy Vehicle Environmental Laboratory (Opened 2021) Relationship with Industry U.S. Army GVSC maintains collaborative partnerships with a spectrum of defense and automotive industry entities with the purpose of co-developing key ground vehicle technologies while leveraging industry technology advancements and economy-of-scale. These relationships are formalized through one of a variety of mechanisms, including formal contracts, Other Transaction Agreements, and Cooperative Research and Development Agreements, among others. Occasionally these relationships extend to non-industry entities also, as with the Michigan Department of Transportation and various academic institutions.