A celebration to officially open the Centre for Automotive Research and Education (CARE) also provided an opportunity to announce its expansion. CARE is an ongoing partnership between the University and all levels of government and industry, which prepares students for automotive industry careers by providing them with practical skills that complement and enhance their traditional engineering education. The building houses many leading edge automotive research laboratories, the headquarters for AUTO21 (the Canada Network of Centres of Excellence for the Automobile of the twenty-first Century) and the administrative offices of the Centre for Executive Education.
The Dean of Engineering, Dr. Graham Reader, welcomed over 160 guests and speakers including Essex MP Susan Whelan, Windsor West MP Brian Masse, Windsor Councilor Ken Lewenza Jr., County of Essex Deputy 
Warden Nelson Santos, DaimlerChrysler Canada Director of Engineering John Mann, University of Windsor engineering students Sabeena Keskich and Kevin Spicer and, finally, Ontario Minister of Community and Social Services Sandra Pupatello, who officially announced a further $2.5 million grant to CARE and the University of Windsor’s Automotive Engineering program on behalf of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade. Community and industry leaders, as well as engineering faculty, also enjoyed viewing projects and demonstrations by elementary, secondary and university students ranging from a mini formula vehicle to Lego robotics. “It illustrates that CARE is an initiative to link the University with industry and our community”, remarked Dr. Reader. “This building is for the community, and our community includes the students – the engineers of tomorrow.”