Carol Browner, President Obama's White House energy advisor, visited ArvinMeritor's headquarters yesterday to discuss the company's dual-mode hybrid Class 8 truck's green benefits and test-drive the vehicle

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Browner stopped by the parts maker following her appearance at the Automation Alley roundtable, an event hosted by Congressman Gary Peters to review the advanced technologies being developed in Michigan.

"We are proud of our hybrid technology," said Chip McClure, ArvinMeritor CEO. "It holds the potential to significantly reduce emissions while increasing fuel efficiency in commercial trucks."

In June, ArvinMeritor took part in a hybrid truck convoy to Capitol Hill sponsored by Hybrid Truck Users Forum and CalStart.

"New clean energy technologies represent one of Michigan's best hopes for revitalizing our manufacturing sector and creating tens of thousands of new jobs," said Rep. Peters. "Congress and the Administration must act to accelerate the development of 21st Century vehicle technologies if our nation is to compete and win in the new energy economy."

The House Science and Technology Committee approved Peters' Advanced Vehicle Technology Act of 2009 last week, which will give $550 million to the Department of Energy for researching and developing new vehicle and parts.