GM Says New $130 Million IT Center Will Reduce Vehicle Development Costs

General Motors opened a new $130 million enterprise data center, which the automaker said will serve as its computing “backbone” for its global operations. The facility is located at its Technical Center in Warren, Mich., and fulfills the automaker’s efforts to insource its IT workforce.

The new facility offers a number of benefits, according to GM, that will improve its vehicles and related technologies. The automaker offered a number of examples of how it plans to use the new facility. For example, using the center’s supercomputing capabilities to analyze crash test data will save $350,000 every time the company can use that data rather than perform a physical crash test.

Next, GM said an application will enable its Global Product Development teams to make tooling payments to suppliers during vehicle development cycles, thereby helping suppliers prioritize parts deliver timing and reduce engineering expenses.

The company also plans to build another $100 million facility in Milford, Mich. Construction of this facility will begin this summer, GM stated.