Co-op
Tyler
Experience Information
Employer: Nissan Technical Center North America
Job Title: Autonomous Drive Marketability and Test
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering
Received Credit: Yes
Paid: Yes
Abroad: No
Description of the Organization
Nissan is a global automaker and Nissan Technical Center North America (NTCNA) is an R&D facility of about 2,000 employees responsible for design, testing, real world evaluations, etc.
Description of the Tasks/Projects Completed
I was responsible for supporting and performing tests on Pro Pilot Assist (our semi-autonomous system) vehicles. I identified leading competitive vehicles which we used to evaluate the Pro Pilot Park feature. I attended the evaluation, performed some tests independently, and supported on others. I designed and performed a study to determine the appropriateness of the Pro-Pilot traffic jam timeout threshold. I also attended tuning for the new 2019 Altima. I assisted throughout the term with proposals, test route development, and instrumenting vehicles with test equipment.
Skills/Knowledge Gained Through The Experience
I gained valuable test/evaluation experience, prioritized consumer-focused design, worked with international employees, and had the opportunity to travel across the U.S.
Favorite Part of the Experience
My independent testing was my favorite aspect because it allowed me to completely create a study from the ground up, perform statistical analysis on my findings, and make a recommendation to design team to affect future iterations. My favorite part was having a direct impact on the vehicle.
How the Experience Influenced Future Career Goals
After working so closely with the Pro Pilot system, I know autonomous vehicle development is of great interest to me. It is the future of transportation and I want to be involved with it.