From Guinness Record to Groundbreaking Patents, Automotive Engineering MEng Student Chinmay Chaudhary Merges Passion with Precision
Meet Chinmay Chaudhary, a trailblazer in U-M’s Automotive Engineering Program whose academic journey spans multiple continents, languages, and accolades.
Chaudhary, who speaks four languages (Marathi, Hindi, English and German), plans to graduate in December 2024 with a MEng degree. His dedication to excellence is evident in everything he touches. He is emerging as an innovative force with two patents for automatic applications. His hands-on experience as a certified FMSCI race driver with a Guinness Book of India record for endurance testing cars in Pune, India, to optimizing fuel systems in Ann Arbor, is driving his unwavering commitment to redefining automotive engineering.
When you first meet Chaudhary, you quickly realize the best words to describe him are innovation, perseverance, passion, self-deprecation, and engineering brilliance.
“Automotive Engineering fascinates me,” he said. “I read a lot of automotive magazines growing up and became fascinated.”
Educational Drive
Born and raised in Pune, India, Chaudhary’s fascination with the intricacies of machines began early. This curiosity accelerated into a robust academic road when he enrolled at Sinhgad Institute of Technology under University of Pune. Majoring in Mechanical Engineering, he excelled with a GPA of 3.5/4, laying a strong foundation for his future obsession with speed, efficiency, and automotive innovation.
In August 2023, Chaudhary enrolled at U-M. His impressive 3.8/4 GPA includes specialized courses encompassing vehicle dynamics, controls systems, and project management. He developed his skills with advanced software, acquiring certifications in critical areas like Data Science Ethics and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.
“Matlab and Simulink are my favorite tools for coding and graphics,” he said. “I love playing around with them. Coding helps give me control.”
In India, he heard a lot of positive comments about the University of Michigan and its practical approaches.
“It was a tough decision to come to the United States for a masters after working in India for almost 7 years, but I am glad I did,” he said. “Here, there are much better resources and I am free to do things my way. U-M’s concise coursework, academic rigor and professors with impressive backgrounds brings me closer to my dream of working in automotive engineering. I love the University of Michigan.”
Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence
June 2024 marked a significant milestone in Chaudhary’s journey when he joined Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence in Novi as an Application Engineer. His role was both challenging and rewarding — integrating Q-DAS software across diverse manufacturing processes and using advanced technologies to optimize quality data analytics. This brief yet impactful tenure drastically improved operational efficiency and business performance, showcasing his capability to effectuate powerful changes in a professional environment.
He came away with three key takeaways from integrating advanced software into manufacturing processes:
- The technology side of automotive.
- Communication with customers.
- How to give a constructive approach to make things fall in place and grow.
“This was an incredible experience for me,” he said.
Research Prowess
Chaudhary has been serving as a U-M Research Assistant since January 2024.
Partnering with Fiat Powertrain Technologies, he contributes on Dimethyl ether (DME) engine conversion with ultra-low emissions and enhanced fuel efficiency. His research with Stanadyne to optimize fuel system hardware for 9-liter engines for noteworthy advancements in sustainability and commercial durability.
“This is a great lab,” he said. “I get to learn important parameters and outlook, such as ‘How should we approach a project?’ ‘How can we be precise?’ ‘How do we measure success?’”
Diverse Professional Endeavors in India
Earlier in his career, Chaudhary was the Assistant Manager of Development and Testing at Siddhant Engineering. In this role, he refined vehicle development processes, achieving impressive improvements in system build speed and dynamic testing. His tenure as Senior Vehicle Test Engineer at Vaahan World was equally commendable, lending his expertise to the relentless pursuit of vehicle performance and ride quality.
From 2018 to 2020, Chaudhary’s skills were indispensable as a Senior Vehicle Test Engineer at Automotive Script, where he performed NVH testing and worked closely with ARAI and Tata Motors. His involvement with ZigWheels taught him a lot. He contributed to performance and fuel testing and earned a Guinness Book of India record as the youngest certified driver in an endurance test at VRDE, Ahmednagar, India.
“I’m proud of this record,” he said.
Leadership and Innovation
At U-M, Chaudhary dazzled with his work on a CarSim simulator track setup, optimizing vehicle dynamics and designing comprehensive track algorithms. His conceptualization of the Fat Cat Panther SUV for the USA market was a testament to his forward-thinking and market-centric approach.
His role as captain of the SAE Student BAJA team during his time at Pune University highlighted his leadership skills. Under his guidance, the team excelled in vehicle design, fabrication, and testing, showcasing solar-powered air-conditioning innovations that underscored his commitment to sustainable automotive solutions.
“I learned you don’t need to know everything and your team can help you build whatever you want,” he said.
His innovative streak is evident in his patents with the Intellectual Property of India. His inventions, including an automatic headlamp beam redirector system and a self-adjusting IRVM and ORVM based on eye-tracking principles, are technological leaps that embody his passion for automotive enhancements.
“I am most proud of my patents,” he said.
A Legacy in the Making
Chaudhary’s remarkable academic journey is a point of inspiration for aspiring engineers around the globe.
His best advice for future automotive engineers?
“Go and drive your cars as much as you can,” he said. “Have fun. Reduce your daily tensions and stress. Relax. Travel. Cruise. Enjoy the view. It’s magical. Then decide if you want to be called an automotive engineer.”
As far as the future of the automotive industry, Chaudhary sees more electrification and autonomous vehicles.
“The automotive industry will get driverless cars in perfect shape though my first love is for a stick-shift,” he said. “We will have more electric vehicles.”