Michigan State University leaders break ground Friday on a project that could help you spend less at the gas pump in the future.

They threw the first shovels of dirt for a $10 million building on campus. It's where they'll test and develop car parts aimed at better fuel efficiency. The research will focus on hybrid technology and advanced fuels.

University leaders consider it an investment for the American economy, the state economy, and for the average driver.

"Our manufacturing economy requires innovation," says Lou Anna K. Simon. "The partnership with industry reflecting in this new facility helps us to speed the translation of this research into people's cars."

The building should be complete by August, but the engineers probably won't begin work inside until the summer of 2007.