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 automotive OEM and Tier 1 companies and their supply chains. As a student, you will benefit from an exceptionally high level of engagement with industry, and as a graduate you will be highly valued by employers.
As a postgraduate-only university, we are well suited to support your studies as a Masters' student and provide excellent facilities to support your learning. The campus is located near Milton Keynes, an emerging centre of excellence for connected and autonomous vehicles, and is placed centrally in the Oxford-Cambridge ‘arc’, noted for its enterprise in technology. This provides you with a unique, technologically innovative environment.
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.
Discover the unique facilities available to you as a student on this course.
Informed by Industry
The MSc in Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Engineering is directed by an Industrial Advisory Panel comprising senior engineers from the automotive sector. This maintains course relevance 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 representatives from:
Rod J Calvert (Chair) | Automotive Management Consultant |
Julie Stears | Chief Engineer, Engineering Quality at Jaguar Land Rover |
Keith Benjamin | Global Legal Director at Jaguar Land Rover |
Steve Swift | Vehicle Engineering Director at Polestar |
William Hylton | Head of Electrical and Electronics at Polestar |
Sally Leathers | Director of Software and EE Architecture at McLaren Automotive |
Paul McCarthy | Chief Engineer at JCB Power Systems |
Stefan Strahnz | Chief Engineer at Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport Formula One |
Charlie Wartnaby | Chief Engineer at Applus IDIADA |
Peter Stoker | Chief Engineer, Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, at UTAC Millbrook |
Steve Miles | Director of Engineering at TECNIQ |
Doug Cross | Managing Director at Balance Batteries |
David Hudson | Head of EV Strategy at ePropelled |
Steve Henson | Business Development Director at Barclays UK |
Course details
The course will include ten taught compulsory modules, which are generally delivered from October to March.
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.
Individual project
After having gained an excellent understanding of methods and applications, you will work full-time (May to September) on an individual research project. This research project will allow you to delve deeper into an area of specific interest, taking the theory from the taught modules and joining it with practical experience. A list of suggested topics is provided, and includes projects proposed by staff and industry sponsors, associated with current research projects.
It is clear that the modern design engineer cannot be divorced from the commercial world. In order to provide practice in this matter, a poster presentation and written report will be required from all students, and the research findings presented to the academic staff as well as the Industrial Advisory Panel members.
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.
Vehicle Design, Propulsion and Performance
Aim |
• Provide deep understanding of vehicle propulsion options and driveline.
• Establish approaches and procedures to analysing and predicting vehicle performance. • Provide a framework for the appreciation of the interdependency of vehicle systems. • Critically evaluate the integration of different alternative powertrain options and be able to select appropriate solutions within legislation framework. • Evaluate vehicle emissions and control systems to identify appropriate solutions. |
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Syllabus |
Basic vehicle characteristics: Vehicle concepts, centre of gravity position, static and dynamic loads and weight distributions, front, rear and all wheel drive. Adhesion coefficient and influencing factors. Traction, braking and resistance to motion. |
Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to: 1. Interpret and apply legislative requirements in generating vehicle concepts and designs. 2. Predict resistances to motion, determine powertrain system characteristics, calculate vehicle performance (max. speed, acceleration, gradient, fuel economy etc). 3. Understand vehicle concepts for propulsion driveline systems and components; optimise vehicle performance characteristics for the selected criteria / benchmarks. 4. Understand rotating component tribology in the context of vehicle efficiency. 5. Assess and critically evaluate vehicle systems and interdependency including vehicle design and ride quality. |
Path Planning, Autonomy and Decision Making
Aim |
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Syllabus |
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Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you will be able to:
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Sensors, Perception and Visualisation
Aim |
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Syllabus |
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Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you will be able to:
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Systems Engineering
Aim |
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Syllabus |
Topics covered by the course include: |
Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you will be able to:
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Embedded Vehicle Control Systems
Aim |
Within the context of modern automotive control system, the aim of this module is for you to critically evaluate the different technologies and methods required for the efficient vehicle implementation, validation and verification of the automotive mechatronic system. |
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Syllabus |
Course content includes: • A review of modern automotive control hardware requirements and architectures. |
Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
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Transport System Optimisation
Aim |
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Syllabus |
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Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you will be able to:
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Human Factors, Human-Computer Interaction and ADAS Systems
Aim |
To provide you with an understanding of human factors in human-computer interaction and ADAS technologies |
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Syllabus |
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Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you will be able to:
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Networked Systems and Cybersecurity
Aim |
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Syllabus |
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Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you will be able to:
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Ethics, Safety and Regulation
Aim |
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Syllabus |
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Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you will be able to:
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Technology Strategy and Business Models
Aim |
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Syllabus |
The syllabus will cover: |
Intended learning outcomes |
On successful completion of this module you will be able to:
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Teaching team
The course director for this programme is Dr Marco Cecotti.
Your career
Our students can aspire to secure roles, for example, in R&D, within ADAS development teams of automotive manufacturers, consultancies, CAV start-ups, or Tier 1 suppliers. The broader knowledge of the CAV ecosystem will enable you to move into management roles.
Roles that our students have gone into include:
Research Engineer at an automotive OEM |
Sensor Integration Engineer, ADAS, at an automotive OEM |
Computer Vision Research Engineer, at an automotive Tier 1 supplier |
Application Engineer, Radar, at an automotive Tier 1 supplier |
Software Engineer, ADAS and Cybersecurity, at an automotive consultancy |
Research Specialist, CAV, at an automotive consultancy |
Companies that employ our students include:
Jaguar Land Rover |
Valeo |
Continental Engineering Services |
HORIBA MIRA |
SBD Automotive |
FICOSA |
Navtech Radar |
Cranfield’s Career Service is dedicated to helping you meet your career aspirations. You will have access to career coaching and advice, CV development, interview practice, access to hundreds of available jobs via our Symplicity platform and opportunities to meet recruiting employers at our careers fairs. Our strong reputation and links with potential employers provide you with outstanding opportunities to secure interesting jobs and develop successful careers. Support continues after graduation and as a Cranfield alumnus, you have free life-long access to a range of career resources to help you continue your education and enhance your career.
How to apply
Click on the ‘Apply now’ button below to start your online application.
See our Application guide for information on our application process and entry requirements.
The CAVE MSc course at Cranfield University has key modules focusing on developing autonomous driving. The different challenges imposed by the university have been a unique learning experience. With the help of careers and employability services and the great links with industry that Cranfield has, I landed a graduate role at Jaguar Land Rover, which was my aspiration after finishing the course. Overall, Cranfield has been an excellent experience, but the staff and the students make a difference, making the time studying here more gratifying.
I decided to pursue the CAVE MSc programme due to its comprehensive coverage of a wide range of topics and the time provided to explore the various aspects in detail through assignments. Unlike other programmes that focus solely on theory, the modules in this programme are geared towards practical industry applications, which I found to be highly relevant and engaging. In particular, the group design project gave us the chance to work on a real-world project related to the automotive industry, where we collected data using our software and tested it both on simulation and in the field.
Through the career and employability services offered by the programme, I was able to secure an internship position that aligned with my career aspirations of working as a software developer in the CAVE domain. As the head of Communications at Cranfield Autonomous Society, I was also able to network and connect with like-minded individuals who shared my passion for this field.
Overall, my experience at Cranfield has been truly exceptional, thanks to the knowledgeable instructors, industry-relevant coursework, and the opportunity to meet amazing individuals who have contributed to my personal and professional growth.