Written by: Riddhi Puranik
The UC Davis EcoCAR team recently attended CES, the world’s premier consumer electronics show, alongside dSPACE a sponsor of the EcoCAR EV Challenge. dSPACE is a leading provider of simulation and validation solutions for automotive development. With several dynamic demos highlighting Power Electronics, Hardware-in-the-Loop Testing, and Simulations, the dSPACE booth was lively.
One of the focal points of the dSPACE booth at CES was the Cadillac LYRIQ charging demonstration, a testament to the cutting-edge work being conducted as part of the EcoCAR EV Challenge. The UC Davis EcoCAR Team representatives were proud to share insights about their hands-on contributions to advancing the vehicle’s innovative features as part of the challenge.
Central to the team’s success at CES was their collaboration with dSPACE. Chris Manning, an alumnus of the EcoCAR 2 series and a representative from dSPACE, highlighted the company’s essential contributions:
“In the EcoCAR EV Challenge, dSPACE is providing all teams with hardware and software to support their CAVs development,” said Manning. “For the CAVs compute, dSPACE donated an AUTERA Autobox to each team with CAN and Ethernet interfaces.”
The partnership between UC Davis EcoCAR and dSPACE extends beyond technology. Manning highlighted, “For dSPACE, the most rewarding part is working with students to see some of the innovations or unique ideas they come up with to solve unique challenges in EcoCAR. EcoCAR students typically come out of the competition with far more practical, hands-on experience than other new graduates and often fit in very quickly at dSPACE, so recruiting is a great benefit of our involvement.”
Riddhi Puranik, Communications Manager for UC Davis EcoCAR, shared her excitement about the event. “Interacting with the dSPACE team and engaging with CES attendees was such an incredible experience. Sharing the vision and innovation behind the EcoCAR EV Challenge with such a wide audience was truly rewarding.”
For the UC Davis EcoCAR team, CES was an incredible platform to represent the EcoCAR EV Challenge and demonstrate the team’s capabilities and engage with industry leaders, innovators, and other sponsors. The event reinforced the importance of partnerships like the one with dSPACE, which empower students to develop real-world skills and contribute to the future of sustainable transportation.
