For the first time in a century, there is an opportunity to completely change the design DNA of the automobile and Larry Burns ‘75 has a vision for the future of mobility.

“A digital revolution, new materials and energy innovation are coming all at once. It’s no longer a question of whether, but one of when our 130-year-old mobility system transforms,” Burns said. “Connected vehicles are already prevalent and driverless car technology could be proven in a few years. We’ve entered into a once-in-a-century opportunity to transform our mobility and it’s happening quicker than people thought it would.”

The technology for autonomous vehicles could be ready by 2018, he said.

Burns, a consultant to several firms including Google’s self-driving car project, sees four futures based on whether the vehicle requires a driver or drives itself, and whether people personally own cars or share them.

“Personally owned driverless vehicles will lead to a new age of automobile with compelling new vehicle designs and fashion-centered brands. Shared driverless vehicles will lead to a new age of mobility with magical experiences at very low cost to consumers and society,” Burns said.

Burns, former General Motors Vice President of Research & Development and Planning/Strategic Planning, said GM’s recent announcement to join forces with Lyft was a great move and a good example of what’s to come for the future of vehicles.

GM announced in January 2016 that it will invest $500 million in Lyft, a ride-sharing company, and take a seat on the startup’s board of directors. GM will also become a preferred provider of cars for short-term use to Lyft drivers.

“I’m excited for GM. What they’ve done with Lyft, the Chevrolet Bolt and connected cars through OnStar and 4G LTE are important initiatives,” Burns said.

“The days of everyone owning and driving their own car could be in the past. With road congestion, the hassles of parking and buying gasoline, the high out-of-pocket cost for driving and the time spent driving, it just makes sense that people are looking for better solutions.”

Burns started at Kettering University (then General Motors Institute) in 1969 in Mechanical Engineering.

He did his co-op through GM Research and Development and then joined GM full-time after getting his master’s degree from University of Michigan and doctoral degree from University of California, Berkeley.

From 1998 to 2009, Burns was General Motors Corporate Vice President of Research & Development and Planning/Strategic Planning. He is now a consultant to companies, such as Google and Allstate, and organizations like Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE). He was also a professor of Engineering Practice at University of Michigan from 2010 to 2015 and led the Program on Sustainable Mobility at Columbia University from 2010 to 2014.

“I’m an engineer from the top of my head to the tips of my toes and Kettering taught me a way of thinking that served me extremely well,” Burns said. “In addition, my co-op experience highlighted that in the real world, questions are not always well defined, data is messy, engineering methods do not apply perfectly and there is typically more than one right answer.”

It was at the 2002 North American International Auto Show that Burns discovered an interest in autonomous vehicles and what the future could be like for transportation.

During the media event, he revealed GM’s autonomy concept, an innovative approach to vehicle design based on a skateboard-like chassis, drive-by-wire controls and an electric propulsion system with four wheel motors.

“That was a lot of fun. And then my boss, GM CEO Rick Wagoner asked me what’s next. I said cars that don’t crash. This is when I began to believe that we could eliminate car crashes and that autonomous cars were inevitable,” Burns said.

In 2007 he was part of the DARPA Urban Challenge in California where teams were challenged to build an autonomous vehicle capable of driving in traffic, performing complex maneuvers and negotiating intersections.

“If we could get the driver out of the loop that would really, really change the industry. By that time it was in my blood. I committed myself to helping realize the enormous societal benefits of connected, driverless, shared and electrically driven vehicles as soon as possible,” Burns said. “I’ve come to the realization that the solution to energy and environment challenges of today’s cars and trucks is through autonomous vehicles. We can now tailor design vehicles for 90 percent of the trips that are with one and two people, making them significantly lighter and more conducive to electric drive.”

The future for mobility is an exciting one. There are always new ways to create the automobile.

“For the first time in 130 years the world has an opportunity to truly transform how people and goods move around and interact,” Burns said. “And that is exciting for students and alumni motivated to be part of this future.”