Building the Engine: The formation of TEAM TN

TEAM TN was initiated by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) in response to a national need to strengthen U.S. competitiveness in mobility innovation. The concept was sparked by the 2022 launch of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Regional Innovation Engines program, which encouraged the development of coalitions that could drive place-based innovation, workforce development, and economic transformation in strategic technology areas. Recognizing Tennessee’s unique position as a national leader in automotive production, logistics, and advanced energy, with major industry players like Nissan, Volkswagen, Ford (BlueOval City), FedEx, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, UTK seized the opportunity to establish a statewide mobility innovation network.

Led by UTK’s Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Development (ORIED), the university mobilized partners across academia, government, and industry to develop a vision for an innovation engine rooted in innovative, sustainable, and secure mobility systems. TEAM TN officially emerged from this effort, grounded in the belief that Tennessee could become a global hub for connected and automated vehicles (CAVs), artificial Intelligence technology for mobility, freight logistics, intelligent infrastructure, and mobility workforce development.

TEAM TN began as a coalition of stakeholders convened to shape a competitive NSF Engines proposal, but quickly evolved into a broader statewide strategy focused on building innovation capacity through applied research, testbed development, public-private collaboration, and regional engagement. Over time, TEAM TN has grown into an action-oriented alliance. Its members now include all major Tennessee public universities, leading research centers, workforce boards, community colleges, industry representatives, and state and regional agencies. TEAM TN has been instrumental in aligning mobility research with workforce pipelines, securing federal and state funding, and piloting new technologies in both rural and urban environments.

Today, TEAM TN is not just a response to a funding opportunity—it has become a statewide mobility innovation platform, linking R&D to commercialization and workforce impact. UTK remains the anchor institution, providing leadership, strategic planning, and technical expertise as TEAM TN transitions from concept to an operational engine of economic and social mobility for the state and region.

How does the University of Tennessee Knoxville’s mission relate to TEAM TN’s vision to establish Tennessee as a global leader in advanced mobility? 

UTK is the flagship public research institution of the University of Tennessee System. As the state’s land-grant university, UTK is dedicated to advancing education, research, and public service that benefits the people of Tennessee and beyond. Its mission emphasizes the creation, dissemination, and application of knowledge through high-impact research, inclusive education, and community engagement.

UTK’s commitment to addressing real-world challenges and driving regional economic development is directly aligned with TEAM TN’s vision to establish Tennessee as a global leader in advanced mobility. Through interdisciplinary research, strategic partnerships, and workforce development programs, UTK serves as the intellectual and organizational backbone of TEAM TN. The university brings together experts in transportation systems, artificial intelligence, electric vehicle technology, infrastructure resilience, and policy to create scalable solutions that support sustainable and secure mobility.

By leveraging its research capacity, statewide network, and collaborative leadership, UTK ensures that TEAM TN remains focused on advancing equitable innovation, supporting industry needs, and positioning Tennessee at the forefront of the mobility revolution.

What local resources or partnerships unique to Tennessee has the university leveraged to support growth and innovation?

Tennessee offers a unique environment for a mobility innovation ecosystem due to its powerful combination of industrial capacity, research infrastructure, strategic geography, and statewide collaboration as one of the top automotive manufacturing states in the U.S., Tennessee is home to major production facilities for Nissan, Volkswagen, General Motors, and the emerging Ford BlueOval City. The state also serves as a national logistics hub, anchored by FedEx’s global headquarters and a dense network of suppliers and freight corridors. These industrial strengths are complemented by world-class research institutions, including Oak Ridge National Laboratory—the Department of Energy’s largest science lab—and the University of Tennessee System, which together lead in transportation, energy, AI, cybersecurity, and workforce development.

Geographically, Tennessee sits within a day’s drive of 70% of the U.S. population, offering unmatched access to diverse transportation networks and enabling real-world testing in both urban and rural settings. The state’s mix of megasites, congested city infrastructure, and remote highways makes it an ideal proving ground for connected and automated vehicles, EV deployment, and resilient infrastructure. Policy and economic development agencies, such as the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD), provide strong support through grants, incentives, and innovation investments. 

How do you see TEAM TN helping Tennessee grow its leadership in the advanced mobility sector?

TEAM TN is poised to accelerate Tennessee’s rise as a national and global leader in the advanced mobility sector by aligning the state’s existing strengths, research capacity, and workforce development infrastructure into a cohesive, strategic innovation ecosystem. By bringing together major automotive manufacturers, logistics companies, research institutions, and state agencies, TEAM TN provides a unified platform to coordinate investments, research priorities, and deployment efforts around next-generation mobility solutions. This coordinated approach enhances Tennessee’s ability to attract federal funding, private capital, and talent, while also ensuring that innovations in mobility—from electric vehicles to autonomous systems—are developed, tested, and commercialized within the state.

What makes TEAM TN uniquely equipped to drive innovation in AI-inspired Information Communication Technologies (ICT), cybersecurity, and automation is its deeply interdisciplinary and cross-sector foundation. TEAM TN integrates expertise from leading research institutions like the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which offer nationally recognized strengths in artificial intelligence, grid modernization, vehicle systems, and advanced materials. Its collaborative structure allows researchers, public agencies, and industry partners to work side by side on real-world challenges, with testbeds spanning urban traffic corridors, freight hubs, and rural infrastructure. TEAM TN also emphasizes workforce development, ensuring that Tennessee’s talent pipeline—from technical colleges to research universities—is prepared to support and sustain innovation in critical areas like AI-driven decision-making, vehicle electrification, transportation cybersecurity, and autonomous mobility.

By bridging research, commercialization, and public benefit, TEAM TN creates the infrastructure and momentum needed to transform Tennessee from a manufacturing leader into a hub for smart, secure, and sustainable mobility innovation.

What does the future hold for the university in terms of growth, innovation, or community involvement? 

UTK is charting an ambitious path toward growth, innovation, and deeper community engagement, with a strong emphasis on advanced mobility and artificial intelligence (AI). As the state’s flagship land-grant institution, UTK is strategically leveraging its research strengths, statewide partnerships, and mission-driven focus to transform Tennessee into a national hub for smart, secure, and sustainable transportation.

These efforts are amplified by the AI Tennessee Initiative, which designates UTK as a national leader in applied artificial intelligence. Within this framework, UTK is developing AI tools to enhance traffic control systems, enable autonomous vehicle coordination, optimize freight logistics, and secure vehicle-to-infrastructure communications. The initiative brings together researchers across disciplines to apply AI to key sectors like transportation, clean energy, and smart infrastructure, reinforcing Tennessee’s competitiveness in emerging technologies.

UTK’s Center for Transportation Research (CTR) is also advancing groundbreaking projects at the intersection of AI and mobility. Notably, CTR is leading research on AI-enhanced autonomous rescue missions and multi-agent coordination. These projects involve real-time sensor fusion, intelligent path planning, and resilient cybersecurity for autonomous systems operating in contested or disaster-prone environments, demonstrating the real-world impact of UTK’s mobility innovations.

Further strengthening this ecosystem is the UT–Oak Ridge Innovation Institute (UT–ORII), a powerful collaboration that enables large-scale research in vehicle electrification, AI-driven energy systems, and next-generation manufacturing. UT–ORII supports joint projects on battery optimization, grid-vehicle integration, and fault-tolerant control systems—all essential to the future of electrified, connected transportation.

In parallel with its research leadership, UTK is also experiencing historic institutional growth. In fiscal year 2024, UTK reached a record $384 million in research expenditures and added over 150 new faculty and 500 staff, many aligned with priority areas like AI, mobility, and smart systems. New residential and research facilities are under construction, and UTK’s Office of Community Engagement continues to deepen ties with local and regional partners, ensuring that innovation serves the public good.

Collectively, these initiatives highlight UTK’s commitment to advancing research that is not only academically rigorous but also deeply connected to the needs of communities and industries. With TEAM TN, the AI Tennessee Initiative, and cross-sector collaboration at its core, the university is well-positioned to lead the future of mobility innovation while fostering inclusive economic growth across the state.