Here's how you can enhance smart mobility solutions as an automotive engineer using new technology.

Data driven analysis is used in every aspect of automotive engineering. One of the key pieces to being a strong automotive engineer is your ability to choose what data to take to drive your decisions. One example of this is when I worked on the grille for the Ford Escape. When designing it I selected key areas that were targets of the craftsmanship requirements of Ford, but also put in tuning ribs in those areas to have features that I knew would directly correlate to the measurements. This allowed for areas that weren’t initially meeting target to be quickly updated to bring the best grille fitment to the vehicle.

Enhancing the correct software for the safety of auto units is a progression to the future, and the quality of all Automotive industries

This one is a good one to focus on because with vehicles having different changes around their platform will allow you to find unique ways to use your product in new ways. One example of this is low voltage systems. They are developed to run accessories, radios, and more within your vehicle. Well with electrification, you still need this system but also need to be able to convert electricity in a different way to be used. This is already in practice with many ICE vehicles, and so you can repurpose your technology to be the forefront of a new industry.

Don’t just focus on the computer science portion of autonomy. Remember that this takes packaging space, wire routing, fitment into body panels, and more. Many skills used across automotive engineering can also be utilized in autonomous vehicle development. One example of this is defrosting systems. We currently see defrosting on windshields, side mirrors, and rear windows. Well how does this change with autonomous vehicles? We still need all those features, and now it’s also advantageous to find ways to utilize those systems for LIDAR and camera systems.

The interfaces are often not intuitive and users need to understand why they will improve their trip taking. Consider how difficult it is for people renting any fully Electric Vehicle for the first time- say from Avis- to know what to do and how to plan their trip. Or, imagine a first-time user getting in a 2024 Tesla Model 3 with no visible and familiar stalks to select P, N, and D as well as no stalks for the turn signals. Add to that this turn-signal control that may turn upside down as the steering wheel is rotated. Either simplify the interface or make it short and sweet to learn. Importantly, run testing with real people from different backgrounds, ages, and driving experience to understand how they address these interfaces.

Work with industry partners and regulatory bodies to establish interoperability standards and regulations for smart mobility solutions, ensuring safe and scalable deployment. By focusing on these areas and integrating new technologies into automotive engineering, you can contribute significantly to advancing smart mobility solutions for a more connected, efficient, and sustainable future.