SHERIDAN, WYOMING – October 12, 2024 – General Motors recently marked the 100th anniversary of its flagship vehicle testing facility, Milford Proving Ground, with a celebration attended by over 7,000 employees, retirees, and their families.
The 4,000-acre facility, rarely open to the public, features nearly 150 miles of roads used to test GM vehicles. Attendees were given a self-guided tour of the facility, including its 2.9-mile racetrack, steep hills, paved and dirt roads, and the 67-acre "Black Lake" expanse of blacktop.
"The Milford Proving Ground is at the heart of GM's long history of innovation that has revolutionized the auto industry, from safety technology to Super Cruise – it's where vehicles get better, and it's where I started my career as a summer intern working on V6 noise and vibration," said Mark Reuss, president of General Motors. "Today, we celebrate 100 years of Milford and look forward to its next century of leadership in vehicle testing and development."
A temporary museum was set up for the event, curated by the GM Heritage Center and the GM Proving Ground Retiree Club, showcasing vehicles, artifacts, photos, and historical videos from five key periods in Milford's history: The Early Years (1924-1940), The War Years (1941-1946), The Growth Years (1946-1970), The Regulatory Years (1971-2000), and The Road to Zero/Zero/Zero (2001-Today).
Milford Proving Ground opened on September 25, 1924, under the leadership of GM President Alfred P. Sloan Jr. to analyze vehicles under controlled conditions. During World War II, the facility played a crucial role in the "Arsenal of Democracy," testing tanks and other military vehicles.
In the postwar era, Milford expanded its facilities and testing capabilities. The 1970s saw Milford engineers responding to new regulatory fuel emissions and economy standards by developing catalytic converters, advancing fuel injection systems, and significantly improving fuel economy.
Milford has been instrumental in supporting GM's goal of zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion. The facility continues to evolve, with its testing facilities now supporting the development of autonomous vehicles and features like crash and pedestrian avoidance and lane keeping.