The automotive sector is changing, car manufacturers and technology companies are rapidly developing new autonomous technologies that will redefine the future of transport. With the rapid adoption of smart vehicle functions industry require a unique set of skills from the engineers and programmers developing them. The MSc in Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Engineering (Automotive) will develop your technical and transferable skills in advanced computing, robotics and network-enabled technologies to prepare you for a career within the automotive sector.

Overview

  • Start dateOctober
  • DurationOne year full-time
  • DeliveryTaught component (50%), Group project (10%), Individual research project (40%)
  • QualificationMSc
  • Study typeFull-time
  • CampusCranfield campus

Who is it for?

This course is suitable for engineering, science, mathematics and computing graduates alongside experienced engineers who are interested in a career in the automotive or intelligent mobility sectors. The course is intended to equip its graduates with skills that will be of immediate use but will also develop them for senior technical and business leadership roles in future. With the growing demand for highly skilled professionals both within automotive manufacturers and the high technology supply chain, successfully completing this course will provide a distinctive skill set that graduates will find useful in securing employment globally.


Why this course?

Cranfield has a long and excellent track record in graduate courses for the automotive industry, a strong track record in research, and strong links and collaborations with the automotive OEM and Tier 1 companies and their supply chains. Cranfield has an exceptionally high level of engagement with industry, and our graduates are highly valued.

As a postgraduate-only university, Cranfield University is well suited to the needs of those studying at Masters’ level, and has excellent facilities to support teaching and learning. We are located near Milton Keynes, which is emerging as a centre of excellence for connected and autonomous vehicles. We are placed centrally in the Oxford-Cambridge ‘arc’, noted for its enterprise in technology.

Cranfield has recently opened a new Intelligent Mobility Engineering Centre (IMEC) and the Multi-User Environment for Autonomous Vehicle Innovation (MUEAVI, a test ground for connected and autonomous vehicle engineering), both of which are used to support teaching across the automotive subject spectrum.

Informed by Industry

The MSc in Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Engineering (Automotive) is directed by an Industrial Advisory Panel comprising senior engineers from the automotive sector. This maintains course relevancy and ensures that graduates are equipped with the skills and knowledge required by leading employers. You will have the opportunity to meet this panel and present your individual research project to them at an annual event held in July. Panel members include:

Mr Rod J Calvert OBE (Chair), Automotive Management Consultant
Mr Steven Miles, Ford Motor Company Ltd
Mr Clive Crewe, AVL
Mr Peter Stoker, Millbrook
Mr Stefan Strahnz, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport
Mr Simon Dowson, Delta Motorsport
Mr Paul McCarthy, JCB Power Systems
Mr Steve Swift, Emerald Automotive
Mr Doug Cross, Flybrid Automotive Ltd
Mr Steve Henson, Barclays
Dr Leon Rosario, Ricardo
Mr David Hudson, Tata Motors
Mr Tobias Knichel, Punch Flybrid Limited
Mr Iain Bomphray, Williams Advanced Engineering
Mr Keith Benjamin, Jaguar Land Rover

Course details

In this section
Overview
Delivery
Modules
Teaching team

The course will include ten taught compulsory modules, which are generally delivered from October to March. Planned module titles include:

• Fundamentals of Road Vehicle Engineering
• Path Planning, Autonomy and Decision Making
• Sensors, Perception and Visualization
• Systems Engineering
• Implementation of Embedded Systems
• Transport System Optimization
• Human Factors, Human-Computer Interaction and ADAS Systems
• Networked Systems and Cybersecurity
• Ethics, Safety and Regulation
• Technology Strategy and Business Models

Course delivery

Taught component (50%), Group project (10%), Individual research project (40%)

Group project

The course will contain a challenging group design project with a multidisciplinary engineering focus and an in-depth individual design project. Where possible, connected and autonomous vehicles from research projects will be used to support learning.

Modules

Keeping our courses up-to-date and current requires constant innovation and change. The modules we offer reflect the needs of business and industry and the research interests of our staff and, as a result, may change or be withdrawn due to research developments, legislation changes or for a variety of other reasons. Changes may also be designed to improve the student learning experience or to respond to feedback from students, external examiners, accreditation bodies and industrial advisory panels.

To give you a taster, we have listed the compulsory and elective (where applicable) modules which are currently affiliated with this course. All modules are indicative only, and may be subject to change for your year of entry.


Course modules

Compulsory modules
All the modules in the following list need to be taken as part of this course

Embedded Vehicle Control Systems

Module Leader
  • Dr Stefano Longo
Aim

    Within the context of modern automotive control system, the aim of this module is for students to critically evaluate the different technologies and methods required for the efficient vehicle implementation, validation and verification of the automotive mechatronic system.
Syllabus

    Course content includes:

    • A review of modern automotive control hardware requirements and architectures
    • The evaluation of current and future vehicle networking technologies including, CAN, LIN, MOST and Flex-ray
    • The evaluation of control rapid prototyping techniques to design and calibrate the control algorithm
    • The use of modern validation and verification methods, such as software-in-the-loop, and hardware-in-the-loop techniques
    • The role of Functional Safety and ISO26262 within the overall control system life-cycle
    • The evaluation of the interdependency between software engineering and control system design within the automotive industry including the use of software auto-coding techniques for production and the use of advanced test methods for the validation of safety-critical systems
Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:
1. Analyze the components of an automotive control systems and its implementation.
2. Design and implement a digital controller.
3. Evaluate the effect of sampling times, communication delays and quantization errors in a feedback loop.
4. Write efficient Matlab code for data coding/decoding and control algorithm implementation.
5. Interpret the purpose of the ISO26262 functional safety standard and the AUTOSAR standardized automotive software design.

Fundamentals of Road Vehicle Engineering

Aim
    • To provide an understanding of vehicle concepts and designs, including major systems, assemblies and components.
    • To establish approaches and procedures for analysing and predicting vehicle performance.
    • To critically evaluate the integration of different alternative powertrain options.
Syllabus
    • Basic vehicle characteristics: vehicle concepts, static and dynamic loads and weight distributions, front, rear and all-wheel drive.  Adhesion coefficient and influencing factors. Traction, braking and resistance to motion.
    • Legislation: introduction to regulations.
    • Internal combustion engines: types and characteristics: torque, power and fuel consumption. Emissions. Drive cycles.
    • Electric motors and drives: types and characteristics: torque, power and efficiency.
    • Vehicle performance:  maximum speed, hill start and climbing.  Fixed and variable gear ratios: number and distribution of gear ratios. 
    • Braking performance: brake force distribution. Calculation of required braking characteristics. Brake and braking system designs and characteristics.
    • Driveline: manual and automatic transmissions
    • Hybrid and electric vehicles: basic definitions, HEV and EV architectures, advantages and disadvantages. Electrical and mechanical energy storage technologies, including battery management considerations. 
    • Vehicle as a complex system: understanding conceptual and compatibility issues regarding vehicle structure, engine, transmission, suspension, packaging and influence on vehicle performance. 


Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module you will be able to:

  • Assess and critically evaluate various vehicle concepts; analyse various vehicle, system and assembly designs; compare their characteristics, advantages and limitations using valid criteria.
  • Demonstrate understanding of powertrains, internal combustion engines, electric motors and their characteristics.
  • Demonstrate understanding of hybrid vehicle architectures and their technologies.
  • Predict resistances to motion, determine powertrain system characteristics, calculate fundamental vehicle performance (max. speed, acceleration, gradient, fuel economy, battery capacity / driving range, etc).

Ethics, Safety and Regulation

Fundamentals of Road Vehicle Engineering

Aim
    • To provide an understanding of vehicle concepts and designs, including major systems, assemblies and components.
    • To establish approaches and procedures for analysing and predicting vehicle performance.
    • To critically evaluate the integration of different alternative powertrain options.
Syllabus
    • Basic vehicle characteristics: vehicle concepts, static and dynamic loads and weight distributions, front, rear and all-wheel drive.  Adhesion coefficient and influencing factors. Traction, braking and resistance to motion.
    • Legislation: introduction to regulations.
    • Internal combustion engines: types and characteristics: torque, power and fuel consumption. Emissions. Drive cycles.
    • Electric motors and drives: types and characteristics: torque, power and efficiency.
    • Vehicle performance:  maximum speed, hill start and climbing.  Fixed and variable gear ratios: number and distribution of gear ratios. 
    • Braking performance: brake force distribution. Calculation of required braking characteristics. Brake and braking system designs and characteristics.
    • Driveline: manual and automatic transmissions
    • Hybrid and electric vehicles: basic definitions, HEV and EV architectures, advantages and disadvantages. Electrical and mechanical energy storage technologies, including battery management considerations. 
    • Vehicle as a complex system: understanding conceptual and compatibility issues regarding vehicle structure, engine, transmission, suspension, packaging and influence on vehicle performance. 


Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module you will be able to:

  • Assess and critically evaluate various vehicle concepts; analyse various vehicle, system and assembly designs; compare their characteristics, advantages and limitations using valid criteria.
  • Demonstrate understanding of powertrains, internal combustion engines, electric motors and their characteristics.
  • Demonstrate understanding of hybrid vehicle architectures and their technologies.
  • Predict resistances to motion, determine powertrain system characteristics, calculate fundamental vehicle performance (max. speed, acceleration, gradient, fuel economy, battery capacity / driving range, etc).

Human Factors, Human-Computer Interaction and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)

Networked Systems and Cybersecurity

Path Planning, Autonomy and Decision Making

Sensors, Perception and Visualisation

Systems Engineering

Technology Strategy and Business Models

Transport System Optimisation

Teaching team

Daniel Auger

Dr Daniel Auger

Senior Lecturer in Control and Vehicle Systems
Marko Tirovic

Dr Marko Tirovic

Reader in Automotive Engineering
Tim Mackley

Mr Tim Mackley

Senior Lecturer
Stefano Longo

Dr Stefano Longo

Senior Lecturer in Vehicle Control and Optimisation
Abbas Fotouhi

Dr Abbas Fotouhi

Lecturer in Advanced Vehicle Engineering
Lisa Dorn

Dr Lisa Dorn

Associate Professor of Driver Behaviour

Dr Philip Nobles

Lecturer
Colin Pilbeam

Dr Colin Pilbeam

Reader in Safety Leadership
Mark Jenkins

Professor Mark Jenkins

Professor of Business Strategy

How to apply

Online application form. UK students are normally expected to attend an interview and financial support is best discussed at this time. Overseas and EU students may be interviewed by telephone.

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