An MSc final examination is not only an opportunity for students to demonstrate their knowledge. For the industry representatives serving on the examination committee, it is also a valuable opportunity to gain first-hand insight into the preparedness of the next generation of engineers. We spoke with János Dániel Füzesi from Robert Bosch Ltd. and Zoltán Somogyi from AVL Hungary about their impressions of this year’s examinations, the qualities they look for in early-career engineers, and how they assess the students of the Department of Automotive Technologies at BME.

According to both industry representatives, a final examination reveals far more than a student’s ability to deliver a polished presentation.

For János Dániel Füzesi, the most important aspect is the candidate’s way of thinking.

“A well-structured thesis clearly demonstrates how the candidate approached the problem, how systematically they worked through it, how they arrived at their solution, and whether they maintained an engineering mindset throughout the entire process. That tells us much more about their real capabilities than presentation skills alone.”

He also pointed out that confidence by itself is not enough.

“Some people are naturally excellent presenters, while others are quieter and more reserved. What defines a good engineer is not personality, but the ability to stand behind their own work with credibility and solid technical substance.”

Zoltán Somogyi highlighted another equally important aspect.

“Engineers are often naturally introverted. Nevertheless, today it is essential that they can communicate and defend their own results. Modern automotive development is fundamentally teamwork, so communication is no longer an ‘extra skill’—it has become an integral part of engineering.”

He also emphasized the importance of systems thinking.

“We wanted to see whether students could step beyond the details of their thesis and place their work into a broader engineering context. That is why many of our questions went beyond the specific technical results.”

Positive surprises

Both experts agreed that the students exceeded their expectations in several respects.

For Zoltán Somogyi, the quality of the presentations was particularly impressive.

“When I graduated, presentation skills received far less attention than they do today. This time we saw presentations with clear structure, well-designed slides and effective visual communication. AI tools are probably helping students prepare more professional presentations as well.”

For János Dániel Füzesi, one of the most inspiring aspects was the diversity of perspectives brought by the international students.

“It was fascinating to see how students from different countries approached different challenges. One thesis, for example, explored the second-life use of electric vehicle batteries in residential energy storage systems. These different perspectives always enrich engineering thinking.”

What does industry look for today?

When asked to identify the single most important quality in a young engineer, both experts gave remarkably similar answers.

For Zoltán Somogyi, it is systems-level analytical thinking.

“Today, AI can provide enormous amounts of information within seconds. What distinguishes a good engineer is the ability to understand relationships, think systematically and approach problems in a structured way.”

János Dániel Füzesi focused more on personal qualities.

“Curiosity and the desire for continuous learning are probably the most valuable characteristics. It is equally important to have the humility to recognize that earning a degree is not the end of learning—it is the beginning of a new stage of professional development.”

Being an engineer in the age of AI

Naturally, the conversation also turned to artificial intelligence.

Both experts agreed that AI will fundamentally reshape engineering work, making it increasingly difficult to predict which tasks will remain exclusively human in the long term.

However, they were equally convinced that identifying the right problems, asking the right questions, and defining development goals will continue to be core engineering responsibilities.

“AI can become an excellent professional assistant, but engineers must still decide which problems are worth solving and what constitutes a successful solution,” said Zoltán Somogyi.

Why does industry participation matter?

Towards the end of the discussion, we also asked why it is important for industry representatives to participate in final examination committees.

According to János Dániel Füzesi, their presence sends an important message in itself.

“Having industry representatives on the examination committee demonstrates that the final examination extends beyond the university. It not only adds further recognition to students’ achievements but also creates an opportunity for mutual learning between academia and industry, strengthening the partnership between them.”

Zoltán Somogyi added that these examinations also provide valuable feedback for industry.

From this year’s experience, he found it particularly encouraging that the thesis topics addressed challenges currently faced by the automotive sector, while students demonstrated increasing confidence in using simulation environments, programming tools and advanced engineering software.

By the end of the examination day, it was not only the students who received valuable feedback on their performance. The industry representatives also left with a clear impression that the Department of Automotive Technologies at BME is educating engineers who are working on relevant, up-to-date topics, are capable of systems-level thinking, and are becoming increasingly confident in presenting and defending their own engineering work.

The final examination is always a special day. Months – sometimes years – of work are condensed into a few minutes, when students are expected to demonstrate not only their knowledge, but also their professional thinking and independent problem-solving skills. After the examinations, and before the results were announced, we spoke with two graduating students about how they experienced this day, what the Department of Automotive Technologies at BME meant to them, and what kind of engineers they aspire to become.

For Ahmed Waleed Mohamed Kamel Mohamed, the first moments of the examination were primarily defined by tension. Although he knew he would be presenting his own work, stepping in front of the examination committee still represented a serious challenge.

“It was stressful to enter the room, but I knew I had to trust my own work. I had prepared my thesis from A to Z, and that gave me confidence.”

One question, in particular, remained memorable for him: when he was asked whether the work was truly his own. Although it briefly unsettled him, he later felt that it gave him an opportunity to demonstrate his preparedness.

“For a moment the question stopped me, but in the end I was glad it came up. It felt good to show that I had indeed done this work myself.”

Arbër Kopani arrived at the examination in a somewhat calmer state of mind. Having already obtained a bachelor’s degree in Hungary, the examination situation itself was not unfamiliar to him.

“Of course I was a bit nervous, but I roughly knew what to expect. When the theoretical part was over, I felt for the first time that everything would be fine. We had been working on the thesis for months, so we know it best.”

The two students arrived in Budapest from different countries: Ahmed from Egypt and Arbër from Albania. Both feel that BME provided them not only with professional knowledge, but also with significant personal development.

Ahmed had previously completed his bachelor’s studies in Ukraine, which gave him a direct basis for comparison.

“The biggest difference for me was that here we received much more confidence. The continuous presentations and the opportunity to present our own work significantly improved my confidence. Today I can stand in front of people and present what I have done much more comfortably.”

He also emphasized the strongly practice-oriented approach of the department.

“It was very inspiring to see that we are not only learning theory here. We worked with real vehicles, in laboratories, and through experiments. When you can test a development in a real environment, that is when knowledge becomes truly tangible.”

For the student arriving from Egypt, one of the most important outcomes of studying abroad was not even professional.

“Studying with people from different cultures made me realize that we actually have much more in common than differences. We speak different languages and have different traditions, but we experience the same feelings.”

For Arbër, the most memorable aspects were rather the key academic decision points. Choosing a specialization and defining the thesis topic, in his view, largely determines one’s future professional direction.

“The thesis topic is essentially about what you want to work on in the coming years. It is one of the most important decisions in the whole program.”

He also highlighted the importance of courses that included exposure to industrial environments.

“When we visit companies and see how a development team or an organization works, it becomes much easier to imagine what it will be like to work as an engineer.”

Both students feel that their university years contributed not only to their technical knowledge.

For Ahmed, the most significant change was in his presentation skills.

“I could not present like this before. At BME we had many opportunities to present our work, and this brought enormous improvement.”

Arbër emphasized teamwork and leadership skills.

“During group assignments we often had to take on leadership roles. We learned to work more independently, collaborate, and take responsibility. These are skills we will definitely use in our future jobs.”

When asked whether they currently feel more like students or engineers, their answers differed notably.

Ahmed stated firmly:

“I feel like an engineer. But I will only call myself a real engineer when I create something that brings real value to society.”

Arbër, in contrast, still considers this a transitional phase:

“At the moment I still feel more like a student. I think I will truly feel like an engineer when I start working, gain experience, and take responsibility for a team.”

Their visions for the future are nevertheless similarly focused. Ahmed aims to work with embedded systems and research and development, preferably in Hungary. Arbër, in the longer term, aims to lead a development team.

When asked what advice they would give to younger students, both shared concise but meaningful messages.

Ahmed’s advice is simple:

“Do your best, believe in yourself, and you will succeed.”

Arbër encourages future students to choose a specialization aligned with the most recent trends in the automotive industry – including automation, electric vehicles, and autonomous systems.

At the time of the interview, the results of the final examination were still unknown. Ahmed and Arbër had already completed their own examination parts and spoke during the quiet waiting period about how they experienced the day. Their answers revealed two distinct self-perceptions: one of them already sees himself as an engineer, while the other considers this role as a next stage still ahead. What they shared, however, was the atmosphere of the day – the sense that behind a completed examination, an open professional journey was just beginning for both of them.

Where does a detached headlight trim roll after a traffic accident? At first glance, it may seem like an insignificant technical detail. Yet in reconstructing a road accident, it can become a decisive question. More than five decades ago, it was precisely a problem like this that launched the professional journey of Dr. Gábor Melegh, retired lecturer, former Head of the Department of Automotive Technologies at BME, honorary university professor, and still an active educator today, who would go on to become one of Hungary’s and Europe’s leading authorities in traffic accident analysis.

Recently, Autószektor published an in-depth feature article about the honorary professor of our department. The publication provides an excellent opportunity to reflect on the milestones of an exceptional career that has shaped not only Hungarian forensic traffic accident investigation for decades, but has also had a lasting impact on the development of our department.

Dr. Gábor Melegh headed the Department of Automotive Technologies at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics between 2002 and 2012. Under his leadership, the department further strengthened its position in both education and research, while he simultaneously built a professional career whose significance extended far beyond the university.

Holding a doctoral degree in transportation sciences, he has prepared more than 25,000 forensic expert reports, including approximately 15,000 criminal traffic accident cases and 10,000 civil cases. As a forensic expert, he participated in the investigation of several major transportation tragedies in Hungary — from the Pörböly school bus tragedy to the bus accidents in Taszár and Agárd — while also contributing to the analysis of accidents involving senior public figures and politicians.

However, the significance of his work lies not merely in the number or prominence of the cases, but in the engineering mindset he consistently represented: the precise interpretation of details, the systematic evaluation of physical evidence at accident scenes, and the pioneering use of computer simulations in accident reconstruction. At a time when such methods were far from commonplace, he was already developing his own software programs to support accident analysis.

Another defining dimension of his professional legacy is knowledge transfer. Dr. Melegh played an active role in establishing postgraduate university training for forensic traffic experts and contributed to the development of educational materials and textbooks that have become foundational references for generations of professionals. It is a particular privilege for our department that, even after retirement, he continues to participate in teaching, passing on decades of accumulated expertise and experience to future engineers and specialists.

Perhaps those who have known him as a mentor, colleague, and friend can best capture the true impact of his work.

“For me, he has been a teacher, colleague, and friend in one person. More than 35 years ago, he supervised my university work, and later we had the opportunity to work together. His professional knowledge is invaluable, and he has always been exemplary both in his profession and in his personal life,” said Dr. Gábor Vida, lecturer at our department and forensic expert.

Dr. Melegh has also played a significant role in the international development of the field. He contributed to the harmonization of European accident investigation methodologies, played a founding role in establishing the European Association for Accident Research and Analysis (EVU), and held leading positions in several Hungarian forensic expert organizations.

For the Department of Automotive Technologies at BME, educators who combine high-level engineering expertise with a deep sense of social responsibility represent a particularly important value. The forensic investigation of road accidents is far more than a technical exercise: it helps establish the foundation for legal decisions affecting human lives, enables lessons to be learned, and ultimately contributes to preventing future tragedies.

The Autószektor feature pays tribute to an extraordinary professional career. For us, it also serves as a reminder of the lasting value created when a department is shaped — and continues to be enriched — by professionals whose knowledge, integrity, and commitment leave a mark across generations.