“I Feel Like I’m Taking Home a Backpack Full of Knowledge” – Andrea Marchetta’s Experience at BME

in

Andrea Marchetta, a PhD student at the University of Naples Federico II, spent several months in Budapest conducting research at the Department of Automotive Technologies at BME. Before his return to Italy, we spoke with him about his professional and personal experiences during his time here. It turned out that the sense of community far outweighed the challenges of the Hungarian language, and the educational experience left a lasting impression.

How did you end up at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics?
The story starts with a fortunate connection: the University of Naples Federico II (UNINA), where I’m doing my PhD, already had ties with BME. My supervisor, Professor Bifulco, has known Professor Szalay for some time, and through that connection I got to know about BME. When I looked into it further, I realized that the Department of Automotive Technologies is very advanced – it felt like a natural choice for me. Although I come from a computer science background, I’ve always been interested in the automotive industry.

How well did this new environment suit you, professionally and personally?
Surprisingly well. The Department provided everything I needed to grow as an engineer and as a PhD student. I joined the Safety and Security Research Group led by Professor Török, and we worked on V2X communication – it was a perfect match for my skills and interests.
On a personal level, the experience was just as rewarding. Everyone was incredibly open and friendly. Every single time I entered a room, people would immediately switch to English so I could be part of the conversation – that meant a lot to me.

Did you have any expectations or concerns before coming to Budapest?
I didn’t know much about Hungary – I arrived with a blank slate. Coming from southern Italy, I’m part of a more Mediterranean world, and I was curious how I’d be received in a different culture. But I quickly realized that the shared work, the joint projects, and the openness toward one another made everything else irrelevant.

How was it settling into everyday life? Anything that surprised you?
Mostly the daily rhythm. In the south, we eat lunch and dinner later, and we’re used to more daylight, even in winter. Here, I had to adjust to that. The food culture also surprised me – for example, soup isn’t really a starter for us, while here, nearly every lunch or dinner begins with it. And well, after growing up with Italian cuisine, it’s hard to accept other flavors – but goulash and pálinka were truly special experiences.

Did you get a chance to explore outside the city as well?
Yes, I visited a castle north of the Danube – I’ve unfortunately forgotten the name – and my colleagues also took me to Lake Balaton. It wasn’t the ideal season for a trip, but I was really happy to get a glimpse of the Budapest area.

Did you have the chance to connect with people outside the department?
To be honest, that wasn’t my main goal. I was more focused on discovering the city from the outside – I did a lot of walking, visited the main landmarks. I mostly spent my free time with the research group: beers, chats – that was more than enough for me.

What advice would you give to others considering international studies at BME?
I would recommend it one hundred percent! The city is easy to live in, getting around is simple, the university is welcoming, and the education is high-quality – especially for those wanting to grow in the automotive field. But I’m sure that students in other faculties would have similarly great experiences. I had a wonderful time here, and I’m happy to recommend it to others.

Is there any final thought you’d like to share with readers of the department website?
I can only encourage everyone: just like I did, have the courage to step into a new environment, meet a different culture, and don’t be afraid of being an outsider – because if you come with an open mind, the community will welcome you. I’m going home with a backpack full of knowledge, experiences, and friendships.

Andrea’s story is a great example of how much a period abroad can offer – not only professionally, but personally as well. And for the Department of Automotive Technologies at BME, it’s always a pleasure to shape the future together with visiting students, building bridges between knowledge and cultures.

Two Days, One Shared Future – BME x Jaguar Land Rover TechDay 2025

in

We are once again hosting the BME x Jaguar Land Rover TechDay, where the engineers and senior experts of one of the leading automotive companies, Jaguar Land Rover, will present the technologies shaping the future of mobility — right here at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics.

The two-day event will feature lectures, vehicle showcases, and inspiring industrial insights. The highlight of the programme will be a keynote by Dave Nesbitt, Global Director Digital Product Platform – Product Engineering at Jaguar Land Rover, who will introduce the audience to the key aspects of the Software Defined Vehicle paradigm shift.

Jaguar Land Rover has been a strategic partner of the Department of Automotive Technologies at BME for over five years. A significant milestone in this collaboration was reached in 2024, during the previous TechDay, when a long-term agreement was signed between the company and the university to deepen cooperation in education and research.

Participation is free, but registration is required:
👉 Registration form

Programme:

🗓 6 May – Lectures and vehicle showcase

  • 09:15–09:55 – Side Door Drive – The Gateway to Comfort (St. Building, Ground Floor Lecture Hall)
  • from 09:30 – Vehicle Showcase (Behind Building J)
  • 12:30–12:55 – Challenges in Automotive Electronics Design and the Role of Early Fault Detection (Building St, Room 321B)
  • 13:00–13:25 – Zone-Based Electric Architectures (Building St, Room 321B)
  • 13:25–13:55 – Antennas in Modern Vehicles (Building St, Room 321B)

🗓 7 May – Executive keynote

  • 17:00–18:00 – Dave Nesbitt: Software Defined Vehicle (Building Q, Simonyi Károly Lecture Hall)

📎 More about the 2024 strategic agreement between BME and Jaguar Land Rover

In Memoriam – Gábor Molnár, Managing Director of MouldTech Systems

in

“True value lies not in what we possess, but in what we are able to give to others.”

It is with deep sorrow and heartfelt grief that we have learned of the sudden and tragic passing of Gábor Molnár, Managing Director of MouldTech Systems Ltd., at the age of 53.

Since February 2019, our Department has worked closely with Gábor and the team at MouldTech Systems in the field of manufacturing technologies, particularly in 3D metal printing and related research and development projects. Our professional collaboration went far beyond the framework of a business partnership: we shared common goals and values. Gábor was a passionate advocate for cooperation between academia and industry and truly believed in the mutual reinforcement of scientific achievement and practical experience in shaping the future.

Thanks to Gábor’s personal support, our Department was able to gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge technologies such as hybrid additive manufacturing. Through our partnership with MouldTech, not only did we come to understand these technologies, but we were also able to integrate them into our curriculum — allowing our students to learn based on real-life applications. Numerous thesis projects emerged from this collaboration, and Gábor consistently encouraged his colleagues to mentor our students as consultants.

Gábor Molnár was not only an exceptional professional partner, but above all a truly good person — an entrepreneur in the noblest sense of the word, who passionately believed that the purpose of business is not merely to generate profit, but to create value. Much of what his company produced was reinvested in supporting innovative Hungarian research and laying the foundations for future technologies. His vision, dedication, and humanity were a constant source of inspiration for us.

His name is associated with remarkable initiatives such as the development of an authentic replica of the Alfa Romeo Tipo 184 race car in collaboration with our Department, the introduction of drone technology in agricultural and defense applications, and the establishment of precision meteorological systems in Hungary. Throughout his work, he consistently looked to the future, with the goal of strengthening the international competitiveness of Hungarian industry.

Gábor Molnár’s absence is an irreplaceable loss to us as well — as a person, as a thoughtful partner, and as a visionary. We say farewell to him with heavy hearts, and we extend our deepest condolences to his family and to the entire MouldTech Systems community.

We will honor and cherish his memory.
Department of Automotive Technologies
Budapest University of Technology and Economics

Our research on the safety aspects of vehicle communication was presented at an international conference

in

The Department of Automotive Technologies was represented at the 11th International Conference on Vehicle Technology and Intelligent Transport Systems (VEHITS 2025) held in Porto, Portugal, where the latest advances in vehicle technologies and intelligent transport systems took center stage.

Our poster presentation at the event, titled “Investigating the safety effects of degraded wireless performance on connected longitudinal driver assistance functions”, highlights how wireless communication quality can impact the safety of cooperative driver assistance systems — a key issue for the development of cooperative and automated mobility. The poster was successfully presented by Roland Nagy, PhD student, who sparked active professional dialogue with the conference audience.

We are also proud that Árpád Török Ph.D and .Zsombor Pethő Ph.D  chaired individual technical sessions at the conference, contributing to the dissemination of the latest research findings and to international scientific discourse. We would also like to thank our colleague, Tamás Kazár, PhD student, for representing our research group at the event.

Many thanks to the organizers of VEHITS for providing a high-quality platform to discuss the future of cooperative and automated mobility.

Roland Nagy

High School Teachers at BME: A Glimpse into the World of Self-Driving Cars and Artificial Intelligence

in

At the March 26 educational event hosted by the Faculty of Transportation Engineering and Vehicle Engineering at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), researchers and lecturers welcomed high school teachers to showcase how science and practice intersect. The event was organized by BME’s Autonomous Systems National Laboratory. The teachers were given an insight into the world of self-driving vehicles and artificial intelligence through the lectures of Zsolt Szalay PhD, Head of the Department of Automotive Technologies, Tamás Bécsi PhD, Head of the Department of Transport and Vehicle Control, and Szilárd Aradi PhD, Associate Professor of the Department. At the end of the program, we spoke with participants about what impressed them, what ideas they would bring back to their schools, and how they could inspire students with cutting-edge technologies. The event provided not just knowledge but also experience—and the teachers’ words made it clear: the future of education has already begun.

 

Zsolt SZALAY, Ph.D

“I saw two self-driving cars here—I had no idea!”

Vanessa Malmos, a high school teacher, on her biggest surprise:
“I thought self-driving cars were only a theoretical concept in Hungary. Then I found out that the university is testing two such vehicles for research! If I see potential in a student, I now know where to guide them: to Győr or, even better, here to BME. But it wasn’t just the cars that were fascinating—the technical details stuck with me. For example, how sensors communicate with each other at an intersection. I’ll use these examples in my lessons tomorrow to show that physics isn’t abstract—it’s right there on the street.”

Norbert Pollmann, who uses artificial intelligence in his daily work, added:
“It was fascinating to see how broad AI applications are and how we—and our machines—use them in everyday life. Self-driving technology and AI cover such a wide spectrum that every student can find something that interests them. I only had one request at the end: Make the next conference a full-day event! I could have listened to the experts for hours. Many of our students clearly belong here—this is where they could truly thrive. I want every kid to realize that knowledge isn’t hidden in books but right here in the real world.”

Tamás Bécsi, Ph.D

 

Ambassadors of Physics: “It’s Not Enough to Show a Ball Rolling Down a Slope”

Beáta Baracsi Kónyáné, a math and physics teacher, on the importance of practical examples:
“The lecture on self-driving cars was perfect for demonstrating that math and physics aren’t abstract theories. If we connect lessons to reality—like how a Tesla uses motion equations—students start understanding why they’re learning this. Now I know where technology stands, and I can pass that on. The trick is to present math not as numbers but as a tool that creates everyday wonders.”

Another physics teacher added:
“Today’s kids are interested in Teslas, money, and cars. The trick is not to scare them away with formulas but to show them that math and physics make these wonders possible. For example, when I explain how a self-driving car calculates braking distance, students suddenly understand why they learned motion equations.”

Szilárd Aradi, Ph.D

“LIDAR Scanners? I’d Never Heard of That!” – New Technologies, New Opportunities

Márta Szabó, a robotics club leader and math/digital culture teacher, was enthusiastic:
“This was the first time I heard the details of LIDAR technology. It’s incredible how precise this device is at collecting data! I’ll share this knowledge with my students tomorrow. But it wasn’t just the tech that mattered. Listening to BME’s experts made it clear: robotics isn’t just programming—it’s vehicle dynamics and mechanics too. That’s what I want to show my students.”

Ottó Motesiczki, a high school teacher from Esztergom, on the practical approach:
“Students love technology, but university life can seem distant. Here, we saw labs, researchers, and real projects up close. Events like Researchers’ Night and this one make this world accessible. Now I won’t just list degree programs—I can show my students photos of prototypes developed at BME.”

“A Teacher Knowing More Is Never a Bad Thing” – Motivation for Everyday Teaching

Renáta László, a math teacher from Transylvania spending a sabbatical in Budapest:
“I came from Szilágy and am on unpaid leave for a year in Budapest. I’m interested in anything that can motivate students—especially the extra opportunities here compared to rural areas or Transylvania. That’s my most important benchmark. High schoolers get a peek into university life before deciding their future. That’s priceless. When I return to Transylvania, my lessons will be richer with the experiences from BME.”

Anikó Sauer, a math teacher, admitted with a laugh:
“I’m just a regular math teacher—but here, I learned how to connect equations with AI. I’ve already invited the lecturers to a career day! The students will love it. Now it’s much easier to show them that math isn’t abstract—it’s part of everyday life.”

“Don’t Just Teach Theory—Show the Practice!”

Csaba Dani, a physics teacher from Budapest, dreams of the future:
“Many of my students want to be vehicle engineers. Now I know why: here, I saw technology in motion. I’ll definitely recommend quiz competitions and TDK (Student Research Conference)—these connections fuel students’ ambitions. But the most important takeaway was tangible examples, like the software researchers showed us that simulates traffic in real time.”

Andrea Palágyi, a high school teacher, summarized:
“I’m open to new technologies and try to pass them on to my students. Today’s program helped me better understand the background of self-driving tech. It’s crucial for kids to experience such programs firsthand—my own daughter chose mechanical engineering after an open day.”

“We Felt a Gap—But Now We Return Inspired”

The closing words came from Márta Sóberné Kozma, a high school teacher:
“I felt like this ship had sailed without us—but today, I saw we still have a chance to connect with the future. When I go back, I’ll definitely highlight these opportunities for my students: international collaborations, industry partnerships, and the fact that knowledge isn’t just theory but practice. If we can show this, we can bring technology closer to them. I’m already thinking about how much I can bring to my school—but first, I need to organize this knowledge. Tomorrow, I’ll definitely teach differently.”

Final Thoughts: “This Was More Than Just Knowledge Transfer”

BME’s event was ultimately about bridging the gap between curriculum and the real world. The participating teachers unanimously emphasized that such hands-on experiences are essential to making science come alive for students.

“Thank you for showing us that teaching isn’t a theoretical monologue but a dialogue with the future,” said one participant. The feedback made it clear: for them, this day wasn’t just professional development—it was renewed inspiration. As one teacher put it: “Today, I learned that even the most abstract formulas become tangible when tied to real-world problems.”

And so, the story closes with a simple truth: “The greatest secret of good education is always taking one step closer to bringing students into the world—and today, we took that step together.”

***

The event was supported by the Hungarian Government and the European Union in the framework of the National Laboratory for Autonomous Systems (RRF-2.3.1-21-2022-00002).