Jaguar Land Rover Collaborates with Budapest University of Technology and Economics on Engineer Training and Research

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During the BME X Jaguar Land Rover TechDay event, the Rector and Chancellor of Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) signed a collaboration agreement with the CEO of Jaguar Land Rover.

“At BME, research directions are guided by the real needs of our industrial partners. It’s important and honorable that Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has become our strategic partner in research and development,” said Tibor Czigány, the Rector of BME. He added, “Today’s collaboration agreement sets an example as it involves several of our faculties. Alongside the Faculty of Transportation Engineering and Vehicle Engineering, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics will also contribute to this partnership initiated five years ago. Given JLR’s global reputation, our students and staff stand to gain immensely from this collaboration.”

Zsolt Szalay, the Head of the Department of Automotive Technologies at BME, stated, “Due to BME’s size, traditions, and competencies, it is well-suited to provide tailored, targeted, and flexible training programs for JLR, allowing us to continually update and expand the knowledge of the company’s employees. We consider these training programs as a service, and while we provide, we also learn a great deal. Our goal is to offer outstanding and beneficial training courses for JLR engineers. The significance of this collaboration is heightened by the fact that the company is one of the five original equipment manufacturers present in Hungary.”

Szalay Zsolt, tanszékvezető

The collaboration between the Department of Vehicle Technology at BME and Jaguar Land Rover Hungary Kft. (JLR) dates back nearly five years. “The excellent professional knowledge of engineers trained at BME is well-known. As a former student of this university myself, I have experienced firsthand the quality education it provides and the dedication it demands from its students,” emphasized Ákos Garaba, CEO of JLR Hungary. “We have long-term plans with our employees, so it’s important for us to continuously provide high-quality training locally, and BME is the perfect partner for this. They listen to what competencies need to be taught and understand our needs in terms of further education for engineers. The CEO emphasized, “I consider it very important that our engineers can receive “tailor-made” training,” and added: “The Faculty of Transport Engineering and Vehicle Engineering of BME has also launched the English-language autonomous vehicle engineer course, which covers all the technical fields necessary for the creation of future transport. Automotive cyber security (automotive cyber security) and functional safety (functional safety) are also important areas of training, with the department’s programmes offering courses tailored to our needs.” – stressed Ákos Garaba.

Garaba Ákos, a Jaguar Land Rover Magyarország ügyvezetője

The collaboration between JLR Hungary and BME initially involves three faculties but will expand continuously. The area related to the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering covers injection molding, tooling, and product optimization. The collaboration related to the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics focuses on artificial intelligence in automotive design. Collaboration with the Faculty of Transportation Engineering and Vehicle Engineering will begin on automotive functional safety and cybersecurity. Two engineers from JLR have already started their doctoral research at BME. Currently, the emphasis is on refining the framework for the next phase of partnership. Their goal is multi-level collaboration: from internships to diploma programs, to study competitions. Furthermore, exploring common research areas and jointly applying for research and development projects will also receive significant emphasis in the future.

At the event held at the J Building of BME and its surroundings on May 14, attendees had the opportunity to learn about the latest developments in vehicle engineering. Jaguar Land Rover development engineers delivered exciting presentations on vehicle testing, acoustic modeling, function development, and injection molding. Attendees also had the chance to explore the newest vehicles in the parking lot.

Our PhD student presented at the IEEE MOST 2024 conference in Texas

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Our PhD student presented at the IEEE MOST 2024 conference in Texas 

We’re thrilled to share that our PhD student, Márton Cserni, showcased our groundbreaking research at the IEEE MOST 2024 conference in Dallas, TX.

He presented our team’s latest work on cloud-based low-level control, demonstrating our ability to control a real-sized “dumb” vehicle directly from the cloud.

Despite lacking onboard sensors or intelligence, the test car successfully followed predefined trajectories, solely relying on external localization and low-level control signals from the cloud. This breakthrough technology not only enables connected vehicles to depend entirely on smart infrastructure for control but also offers significant potential for automating ADAS testing.

Another milestone reached in this year’s Safety First! competition!

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The detailed documentation of safety solutions developed by teams has been submitted for the second edition of the Safety First! vehicle safety & security technology innovation competition! The entries were evaluated by leading experts from industrial partners, university lecturers, and researchers. The final of the competition will take place on May 17th.

We cheer for the advancing teams! Go DBN-Sense, SafeTraverse, Connectivity Visionaries, The Crash Test Dummies, and Binary Asymmetry!

We thank Robert Bosch Kft. and Jaguar Land Rover Hungary Kft. for their support, contributing to the organization of the competition!”

Coming soon – BME X JAGUAR LAND ROVER TechDay

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Join us for the BME X JAGUAR LAND ROVER TechDay event featuring vehicle showcases and captivating presentations

Here’s a glimpse of what to expect:

🔧 Cutting-edge insights on Supplier Quality Assurance by STA

🔄 Simulation in Design – Exploring Injection Molding and Moldflow

💡 Dive into the World of System Engineering – Customized Function Development

🚘 Vehicle Testing – Theory vs. Practice: What’s the Reality?

🎶 From Concert Halls to Cars – Acoustic Modeling Insights

 

📍 Location: BME Building “J”

📅 Date: 14th May

🕘 Time: 09:00 AM – 14:00 PM

🔗 Register here now!

Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the latest in automotive technology and engineering innovation! See you there! #BME #JaguarLandRover #TechDay #AutomotiveInnovation

 

BME Automated Drive presentation at the 4, 500 attendees Dublin Professional Forum

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The 10th Transport Research Arena, Europe’s most important bi-annual transport research event, was held in Dublin from 15-18 April. This year’s conference attracted over 1,000 scientific papers, the best of which were presented on the spot. Our colleague was invited to present in the Modelling and Simulation section.

At the prestigious event, Attila Tamás Tomaschek, PhD student of the BME Automated Drive Lab, gave a presentation entitled “Simulating the effects of connected and automated vehicles on traffic management”. The presentation gave an insight into the objectives and results achieved so far in the project “Central System for supporting the testing and operation of automated vehicles” 2020-1.2.3-EUREKA-2021-00001.

Following his presentation, Tamás Tomaschek said: “This event provides a unique platform for the exchange of information and experience between decision-makers and leading research and innovation players in the sector, so it is a great pride and pleasure for me to have the opportunity to be a speaker at this important event.”

 All modes and sectors of transport are represented at the TRA conference, including passenger and freight transport, urban, regional and long-distance transport. The event attracted a record attendance of over 4,500 delegates from around the world. An important achievement for Hungary is that Budapest has won the right to host the next conference in 2026.

BME spinoff DriveByCloud Kft. in front of international investment community: successful participation at the EELISA Next Level event.

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BME Department of Automotive Technologies and its university spin-off company participated in the EELISA Next Level event in Germany, where startups presented their investor pitches at the event, which is aimed at raising capital for entrepreneurs.

The event was open to companies affiliated with institutions in the European network, and the best 15 startups from more than 50 applicants were invited to the event in Nuremberg on 22-23 March. The event was hosted by the Zollhof Tech Incubator, supported by Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU).

At the event, DriveByCloud Ltd., representing BME and Hungary, presented its product development ideas to the international community and investors. After the competition presentation, Zsolt Vincze, CEO of DriveByCloud Kft. and researcher at the Department of Automotive Engineering, emphasized: “I consider it a great achievement that we made it to the top 15 out of 50 applicants in such a strong field, and that we were able to present the marketable developments of our research work to a broad scientific and professional audience and international investors, which will be sold by our spin-off company.”

DriveByCloud Ltd. provides services that improve the efficiency of automotive testing. These include infrastructure-based real-time road data services and mixed reality testing with virtual objects. It also provides cloud-based vehicle control and teleoperation, and enables cooperative perception and control using the real-time digital twin of the environment. The company’s innovative solutions help to advance the technological development and safety of the automotive industry.

Vincze Zsolt & Dr. Rövid András

Dr. Rövid András & Vicze Zsolt

The research related to the developments presented in the context of self-driving vehicles was supported by the European Union in the framework of the National Laboratory for Autonomous Systems (RRF-2.3.1-21-2022-00002).

New website content emphasizing entrepreneurship

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Our department is proud to announce the launch of new web content aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and innovation in education and research. The department’s commitment to developing higher education in line with the third-generation university model is highlighted in the latest additions to our website.

Zsolt Szalay Ph.D., Head of Department, stated, “As we move towards becoming a third-generation university, we are dedicated to emphasizing entrepreneurship in our teaching and research activities. Our aim is to be actively involved in solving social and economic problems and to promote the transfer of research knowledge into real life applications.”

The new content explores the concept of third-generation universities, institutions closely linked to society and the economic sector. The department’s focus on innovation, industrial relations, and practice-oriented research underscores our commitment to driving societal impact through academia.

As part of our entrepreneurial endeavors, the department created two university spin-off companies: iMotionDrive Ltd. and DriveByCloud Ltd. These ventures support the development and testing of autonomous vehicles, contributing to technological innovation in the automotive industry, the safety of future mobility, and thus its social acceptance.

In addition to entrepreneurial opportunities and industry research, the department collaborates with the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences to offer students a wider range of opportunities for education. Through inter-faculty cooperation and partnerships with industry leaders, students gain valuable insights and practical experience tailored to the needs of the market.

Dr. Szalay further emphasized, “Our goal is to empower students to succeed in both academia and the business world. Through initiatives like the ‘Starting and Operating Innovative Enterprises‘ course, taught by Dr. Pál Danyi and Tamás Iványi from the Department of Management and Business Economics, students deepen their understanding of business start-ups and gain practical knowledge to drive successful innovation.”

The Department of Automotive Technologies at Budapest University of Technology and Economics is at the forefront of shaping the future of education and industry collaboration. With a focus on entrepreneurship and innovation, the department is poised to lead the way in driving academic excellence into societal impact.

It’s a bug that cars were invented before computers – Tech.AD Europe 2024

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At Tech.AD Europe 2024, this quote from 2010 by Eric Emerson Schmidt, former CEO of Google, was put at the centre of the communication, reflecting the relationship between computing and the automotive industry today. The event took place in Berlin from 10-12 March this year.

At the event, which gathers the cream of the industry involved in the development and production of self-driving cars – where participants can discuss where technology and the market are heading – our department’s Vehicle Dynamics and -and Control research group also participated. The conference was attended by major automotive manufacturers such as Mercedes, GM and Ford, automotive suppliers such as ZF and Continental, software companies such as DXC, Hexagon and Waymo, and start-ups.

On behalf of the research team, Ádám Bárdos, Ph.D., Group Leader and Managing Director of iMotionDrive Kft. and Ádám Domina, PhD student, participated.  An important task was to develop the business network of the new university spinoff company iMotionDrive and to assess the current market demand and supply situation. At the same time, they aimed to raise awareness of iMotionDrive and identify specific customers and business opportunities.

Dr. Ádám Bárdos after the event concluded: “For a researcher, it is always exciting to hear about cutting-edge technologies and to meet their representatives and industry players in a more concentrated way. And from iMotionDrive’s point of view, our presence was absolutely useful and purposeful, as the new company develops automatic accident avoidance systems for the automotive industry, providing automatic decision-making, motion planning and motion control in critical accident situations.”

Preparing for a career path – students in visit

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27 students of József Eötvös High School Budapest 5th District, the second best high school in the country, according to the HVG 2024 ranking of high schools, visited the Department of Automotive Technologies of BME today.

During the three-hour programme, the students were given interactive presentations on topics such as whether a car can be hacked, how experts use simulation software to analyse the causes of an accident, and how a self-driving vehicle can detect its environment. Visitors were given hands-on demonstrations of hydrogen fuel cell drive and laser 3D metal printing.

At the end of the visit, Dániel Drótos, grade 11 B, said the following about his impressions: „I liked that the demonstration was very hands-on, so you can really see what is happening and it is not just about dry learning. I’m studying physics and I already know that after high school I want to apply to the BME and become an engineer.”

Blanka Farkas Szigeti, Dániel’s classmate, added: “For me, it’s more the theoretical part that matters. It was very interesting for me to understand the latest, cutting-edge technologies. For example, I was able to learn about something that I’ve been interested in lately and which we hear so often, even in the news, about how self-driving cars are being developed and how they work. I want to study biology, but I am very interested in research and it was a great experience to see research labs.”

Erzsébet Prokopp, the teacher accompanying the group, summarized her experience by saying, “As a teacher, my impression is that it was absolutely thought-provoking and helps to determine the direction and where students should imagine themselves, both in terms of learning and later in terms of work. It was very practical and also very interesting, so I am very glad we could come. For example, the students really liked the crash simulation, which was very impressive, but also the hydrogen engine or the 3D laser printer were very interesting. Exciting little highlights, thank you very much!”

Zsolt Szalay Phd, Head of the Department, commented on the visit of Eötvös High School: „It is always a great pleasure for us when secondary school students come to visit us, as it is a special opportunity to inspire the next generation or broaden their horizons. „

The programme was carried out with the participation of several faculty members and staff members of the Department, Dr. Krisztián Bán, Tamás Kazár, Gábor Vida, Mátyás Szalai, Károly Fodor, Márton Cserni and László Ferenc Varga.

The research related to the developments presented in the context of self-driving vehicles was supported by the European Union in the framework of the National Laboratory for Autonomous Systems (RRF-2.3.1-21-2022-00002).

New Safety Features Successfully Tested – Video!

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During the successful demonstration, we presented the features of a central system that models and interprets the environment in real time, a trajectory planner and a collision avoidance safety feature.

The central system transmits the avoidance maneuver data or even intervention signals to the vehicle via radio link, guiding the vehicle along the collision avoidance trajectory. Such a system also offers the possibility to automatically test various driver assistance systems and to control vehicles cooperatively. The demonstration was carried out by research and development engineers from BME and VirtualVehicle.

In the first demonstration, the goal was to avoid a collision with a virtual pedestrian, while in the second demonstration the vehicle had to avoid a physical test dummy.

Both demonstrations were successful.

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A demonstráció a “Központi rendszer az automatizált járművek tesztelésének és működésének támogatásához” című EUREKA projekt (2020-1.2.3-EUREKA-2021-00001) keretében valósult meg.