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Prasad Shingne

I am an autonomous driving and ADAS engineer with nearly two decades of experience across academic research and industry, from graduate work at the University of Michigan through roles at Ford, Byton, Audi, Applied Intuition, and Lucid Motors. My work has centered on simulation, validation, and vehicle systems development, with increasing focus on building the infrastructure and methodology that lets ADAS teams move faster and rely less on physical testing. At Lucid Motors I lead ADAS simulation execution and am building the company's simulate-before-physical-test capability from the ground up. At Applied Intuition I was one of the earliest members of the systems engineering team, working with customers in off-road autonomy to develop and validate their systems in simulation. Earlier I helped develop SAE Level 2 and Level 3 systems at Audi, and worked on modeling and testing at Byton and Ford. I hold a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, a SOTIF Engineer certification from TÜV SÜD Academy (ISO 21448:2022), and am enrolled in the LEAD certificate program at Stanford University. Outside of work I build perception and localization systems on embedded hardware and write about technology and history at @ididacalculation. I take on selective advisory engagements for ADAS and AV teams building or scaling simulation validation infrastructure. If that is relevant to your work, reach out at prasadshingne@gmail.com.

2025 -

At Lucid Motors I am one of three simulation leads for ADAS, with ownership of simulation orchestration end to end. This covers understanding feature functionality and translating it into test cases and scenarios, building and maintaining the scenario library, working with suppliers and internal teams to get automation tooling to work as intended, and driving the overall simulate-before-physical-test methodology for the group. The work covers simulation across the full ADAS feature set. DreamDrive Pro and L2++ represents the product direction this simulation infrastructure is being built to support. I hold a SOTIF Engineer certification from TÜV SÜD Academy (ISO 21448:2022, April 2026).

2022 - 2025

At Applied Intuition I was a founding member of the Off-Road Systems team and the second systems engineer hired company-wide. I led the development and scaling of end-to-end simulation-based validation infrastructure for autonomy testing across multiple vehicle platforms, covering scenario creation, execution, and analysis workflows. I scaled simulation regression from 100 to over 400 scenarios, establishing repeatable CI-style validation pipelines for customer-facing releases. I defined KPIs for sim-to-real correlation, scenario coverage, and regression health, enabling data-driven release readiness decisions. I also built triage and debugging workflows across the autonomy stack and simulation systems, and worked directly with perception, planning, and controls teams to integrate their modules into simulation regression.

2020 - 2022

I joined Audi's newly established Automated Driving Development R&D office in San Jose, CA, in April 2020 as one of its first ten employees. As a Senior Development Engineer for ADAS, I focused on systems engineering for SAE Level 2 hands-free and Level 3 driving assist technologies, testing and validating the current Level 2 system to identify corner cases, diagnose root causes, and propose solutions. I also worked on software prototyping and integration, providing rapid feedback to developers on system performance. In addition to these technical responsibilities, I played a key role in building the team at the new office, interviewing over ten candidates and hiring several developers.

2018 - 2020

Byton was a Chinese-German all-electric vehicle brand founded by former BMW and Nissan executives. I joined their Santa Clara, CA R&D office in January 2018 to contribute to the development of the fully electric M-Byte SUV. As a Technical Lead in Powertrain Systems Analysis, I played a key role in driving the M-Byte’s performance and energy attributes toward SOP targets. My work involved leveraging modeling, simulation, dyno testing, and on-road testing to assess system performance, identify gaps, and implement improvements. Collaborating cross-functionally, I worked with engineering teams across powertrain and chassis to enhance performance, while also engaging with management and marketing teams to provide updates and ensure accurate external messaging.

2015 - 2018

I joined the Ford Research and Innovation Center in Dearborn, MI, in June 2015 as an Electrified Propulsion Systems Research Engineer within the Vehicle Systems Analysis Group. In this role, I led several modeling, simulation, and analysis projects, providing critical upfront input to new hybrid and electric vehicle programs, resulting in significant cost savings for the company. My work included developing a new combustion engine model, which, combined with on-premises HPC, reduced calibration time for a new engine program by an order of magnitude. I also coupled production control code with a powertrain model to diagnose and explain performance and efficiency issues identified during testing. Additionally, I utilized vehicle usage data from various sources to define electrification requirements for large Ford vehicles.

2008 - 2015

I began graduate school in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 2008, where I worked in the Auto Lab under the guidance of Professors Dennis Assanis, Claus Borgnakke, and Jason Martz. My research was part of a $12 million multi-university project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Robert Bosch LLC, aimed at demonstrating the commercial feasibility of Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) technology for production engines. Using CFD and engine dynamometer testing, I explored the underlying physics of HCCI combustion. This work culminated in my dissertation, where I developed a faster-than-real-time 0D model of HCCI combustion, designed to serve as a plant model for powertrain controls applications.

2003 - 2007

I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, University of Pune. Beyond laying the foundation for my engineering career, this is where I began exploring product development by participating in and hosting various competitions focused on building cars, robots, and electro-mechanical systems.