Vehicle automation technology is about to change how people and goods are transported.  While autonomous cars are generally the focus of attention, long-haul trucks offer one of the most compelling use cases for self-driving vehicles.

The objective of this thesis is to derive recommendations for fleet operators/owners regarding the adoption of increasingly automated long-haul trucks.  Hence, this research should include the following elements:

1. A technology overview with (a) the clarification of SAE levels and operational design domains (ODD), (b) an overview of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) / automated driving (AD) functions, incl. high-level assessment of technical maturity, and (c) an overview of the technical implementation, i.a., sensor sets, incl. cost estimations

2. A market analysis with (a) the description of potential customers and the corresponding value proposition (customer mix, operation models, TCO analysis for fleet operators, lack of drivers, rest time, equipment cost), (b) a competitor benchmark including truck OEMs and emerging startups, amongst others, and (c) an overview of the regulatory landscape with particular focus on the EU

3. A market outlook to extrapolate the previous findings by deriving and discussing (a) a technology roadmap, i.e., which ADAS/AD functions will likely appear when in the truck market and (b) a market sales forecast by SAE level in the EU

4. Derived recommendations to fleet operators/owners, e.g., regarding the choice of a particular technology (e.g., specific sensor set), its ideal moment of acquisition, its optimal use case (e.g., category of routes), the necessary restructuring of the business, etc.

To improve traffic safety, traffic flow and increase convenience for drivers, various cities and road authorities worldwide have deployed vehicle-to-infrastructure projects, often using a direct peer-to-peer communication approach.
rnIn parallel, passenger cars and commercial vehicles have become more and more connected over the last decade, offering various internet-connected infotainment functions utilizing mobile networks.
rnCities and authorities today face the question whether to invest in proven direct communication or whether to strive for mobile-network based technology.

rnThe objective of this thesis is to assess if and how cities can enable relevant V2X use-cases through indirect communication utilizing cellular networks (i.e. 4G, 5G, 6G).

Your tasks: 

• Brief comparison of direct and indirect communication technologies
• International benchmark of similar projects / implementations
• Review of technology roadmap
• Literature review of regulatory landscape
• Analysis of V2X use case catalogue regarding relevancy for cities and indirect communication feasibility for different cellular network generations
• Identification of requirements for implementation of selected use-cases utilizing indirect communication
• Cost-benefit analysis of V2X implementation example for a city (to be selected)

In the automotive industry, the entry of "Big Tech" giants like Alphabet, Apple, Nvidia, or Amazon has set the stage for a transformative upheaval. This master's thesis seeks to dissect their strategic advantages over traditional Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and vice versa in various domains of future vehicles, including infotainment, software development, autonomous driving, vehicle computing, connectivity, or cybersecurity. The importance of this topic is evident in its potential to redefine the competitive landscape of the automotive industry, with profound implications and dependencies for traditional OEMs.

This research will conduct a comprehensive examination of the strengths and competitive advantages, but also the entry barriers for Big Tech entrants in these specific areas, considering especially their expertise in software, data analytics, and AI. Simultaneously, it will scrutinize the threats posed to traditional OEMs, who may face challenges in adapting to the pace and scale of innovation set by these tech giants. Moreover, the study will explore potential collaboration models between traditional automakers and Big Tech companies to leverage synergies.

Potential research question: "What are the strategic advantages of Big Tech companies entering the automotive industry in key vehicle domains, and what collaborative models can traditional OEMs adopt to navigate this disruptive landscape successfully?"

In the ever-evolving landscape of automotive engineering, the shift towards software-defined vehicles has brought about new challenges and opportunities. This thesis aims to design a comprehensive blueprint for a software development organization that can effectively cater to the unique demands of modern software-defined vehicles. One of the central challenges is to harmonize software and hardware development, recognizing the distinct mindsets and development practices, while ensuring seamless synchronization in the final product.

The importance of this topic lies in its potential to address a critical need within the automotive industry. As vehicles increasingly rely on sophisticated software systems for essential functions, the efficiency and agility of software development are paramount. However, this development mindset is in conflict with more traditional, milestone-driven hardware development. Thus, the need to align software and hardware development processes is vital to ensure that vehicles meet functionaliey, safety, performance, and regulatory standards.

Potential research question: "How can a software development organization be structured and its development processes optimized to accommodate the unique requirements of software-defined vehicles, ensuring a seamless integration of software and hardware, while maximizing efficiency and quality?"

In today's automotive landscape, the emergence of software-defined vehicles has ushered in a new era of innovation and competition. This thesis embarks on a critical exploration of the necessity and role of vehicle operating systems (Vehicle OS) in this context. It aims to elaborate the concept of Vehicle OS and unravel why they are essential for future vehicle control concepts. It further aims to investigate the strategic value for vehicle Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), the value chain positioning of suppliers, and how OEMs can distinguish themselves on different vehicle software layers.

The significance of this topic lies in its potential to address the fundamental shift in the automotive industry towards software-centric vehicles. As vehicles become increasingly defined by their software capabilities and vehicle functions are generated via software, Vehicle OS serve as the backbone for orchestrating and managing these functions efficiently and securely.

Potential research question: "Why are vehicle operating systems imperative for the success of software-defined vehicles, and how can OEMs strategically leverage them to create differentiation in a highly competitive market?"

With the development and growth of the electric vehicle market, the recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries is becoming an important research topic. While demand for battery raw materials is already surging, batteries produced today will be in operation for years before they will need to be recycled. An exact understanding of battery recycling supply and demand on a global level can help cell manufacturers, automotive OEMs and recyclers to time their investments better. 

rnThe objective of this thesis is to build a global battery recycling supply and demand model. FEV’s powertrain forecasts, cell chemistry forecasts and industry know-how can all be used as input.
rn 

Your tasks: 

• Literature review on vehicle fleet aging models
• Analysis of US and Chinese market battery cell and recycling trends
• Analysis of global battery recycling capacity announcements
• Analysis of US and Chinese battery recycling legislation

The automotive industry is undergoing a significant transformation putting software to the core of vehicle feature development. The integration of cloud services as external computing resources and remote access to the vehicle has emerged as a transformative force. This master's thesis delves into the pivotal role of cloud services as the technological backbone for a wide range of automotive applications closely tied to vehicle operation. The importance of this topic is underscored by its potential to revolutionize the way vehicles operate, connect, upgrade, vehicle services, but also generate and monetize data.

This research will comprehensively investigate the technological infrastructure required to make use of cloud services in the automotive context, including cloud architecture, security, and data management. It will also delve into practical use cases, showcasing the transformative potential of the cloud in enabling features such as real-time connectivity, remote vehicle upgrades, data generation for predictive maintenance, and monetization strategies.

Potential research question: "How can cloud services serve as the technological foundation for a range of automotive applications related to vehicle operation, and what are the implications and opportunities for the automotive industry in terms of innovation, efficiency, and revenue generation?"

Since the introduction of TESLA Model Y with a gigacasted BIW, the technology received a lot of attention, and many other OEMs are looking into this technology or are already adapting this process to their vehicles.

Objective is to find objective KPIs for a comparison of existing manufacturing technologies vs. Gigacasting and to develop pros and cons.

Your tasks:

• Research the state of the art in science, industry and @ FEV on BIW manufacturing
• Rating of technologies by cost, CO2 and circularity
• Develop an approach/ methodology to evaluate the differences between manufacturing processes considering multiple variables

Long term goal is to establish a digital workflow for an existing material database. Objective of this thesis is to develop a method for collection of data, estimation of a CO2 footprint with a reasonable period of validity and presentation of results, based on real company data and feeding the data back into the material data base.

Your tasks: 

Research the state of the art in science, industry and @ FEV cost engineering on footprint calculation and generation of base CO2 footprints.

Get used to the developed material data base system and develop a method to generate a material specific CO2 footprint

The importance of Circular Economy is ever increasing. There are frameworks in EU/US and other countries in place to support circular activities. Many, esp. suppliers need to know how to approach this topic and how to implement a circular economy strategy. First step could be a quick gap assessment as an entry point for consulting.

Your tasks: 

• Research on existing approach
• FEV Consulting evaluation approach need to be developed and tested

Automotive supply Chains have been undergoing severe changes during the last years, fueled by mega trends such as advancing electrification, software defined vehicles and connectivity. It is essential for automotive players to know their supplier landscape in depth to develop resilient supply chains.

Within this master thesis, you will develop a comprehensive supplier database and have the chance to get creative in developing a dashboard / an application to optimize usage (preferrably PowerBi).

One key aspect of this thesis, besides the processing and visualization of available information, will be the conceptualization and PoC implementation of the process incl. to ensure continuous (semi-)automatic updating and operation of the database. The focus should lie on minimization of HR effort and usage of innovative tools & methods.

As the Automotive industry is undergoing a transformation towards software-defined vehicles, artificial intelligence (AI) can be a key building block to make vehicle operation more intelligent in different domains. This thesis shall identify potentials and benefits of AI implementation in an automotive context, with a focus on vehicle operation, autonomous driving, connectivity and user interface.

This research will delve into the potentially crucial role of AI in software-defined vehicles, exploring potential use cases across domains such as autonomous driving, advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), natural language processing (NLP) for human-vehicle interaction, predictive maintenance, and more. The aim is to investigate and evaluate the potential of AI with regards to different criteria such as vehicle safety, performance, and user satisfaction.

Potential research question: "How can AI be strategically and effectively implemented within (software-defined) vehicles to exploit its potential and improve the vehicle functionality (e.g., regarding safety, performance, and user experience) and what are the implications for the automotive industry in terms of innovation and competitiveness?"

In the ever-evolving landscape of automotive engineering, digitalization and in particular the utilization of "digital twins" has emerged as a transformative development concept. This master thesis delves into the pivotal role of digital twins in vehicle development, with a focus on their potential to reduce hardware costs, development time, and development effort. The importance of this topic can be underlined by its ability to address OEM's challenges for accelerated vehicle development cycles, cost-efficiency, and enhanced product quality.

This research will comprehensively analyze the technological enablers for digital twins, such as advanced simulation tools and data analytics. It will also explore the vast application potential of digital twins in vehicle development, from virtual prototyping and testing to predictive maintenance and real-time performance monitoring.

Potential research question: "How can the strategic integration of digital twins and virtualization techniques streamline the vehicle development process, reduce hardware costs, and enhance overall efficiency, and what are the implications for the automotive industry in terms of competitiveness and innovation?"

The automotive industry is undergoing a profound transformation, inceasing the importance of in-vehicle computing power to enable advanced vehicle functions such as advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), infotainment and vehicle connectivity. This master's thesis delves into the critical role of high-performance computing (HPC), but especially into different types of chip clusters and their specific properties to create the computing hardware required for software-defined vehicles.

This research will investigate different types of chips & semiconducters that will be required to enable software-defined vehicles, considering factors such as real-time processing, machine learning, and data-intensive applications. It will also explore how the vehicle computer hardware architecture will evolve across future vehicle generations to accommodate these HPC requirements. Furthermore, the thesis will investigate the implications of this development on both vehicle OEMs and suppliers, as it reshapes the strategic importance and dependency on chip design and manufacturing competences. It shall also provide an indication which types of chips are strategically relevant and suitable for local supply or even in-house design and manufacturing.

Potential research question: "What kinds of high-performance chips are essential for future software-defined vehicles, how will the vehicle computer hardware evolve, and what are the strategic implications for vehicle OEM

In the rapidly evolving automotive industry, Over-the-Air (OTA) technologies have emerged as a game-changer for implementing and updating vehicle functions and features over the course of the whole vehicle life. This master's thesis delves into the transformative power of OTA technologies and their profound impact on Automotive Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), potentially reshaping their development processes and vehicle lifecycle strategies. The importance of this topic lies in its potential to address critical challenges faced by OEMs, including the need for continuous software updates, enhanced vehicle connectivity, and customer-centric product lifecycles.

This research will comprehensively analyze various OTA technologies from a technological perspective as well as from application perspective, ranging from software updates to diagnostics and remote feature activations. It will investigate how these technologies are revolutionizing vehicle development, enabling real-time improvements, and extending the lifecycle of vehicles. Furthermore, the study will assess how these changes influence OEM strategies, from product planning to customer relationship management.

Potential research question: "How are Over-the-Air technologies transforming the development processes and lifecycle strategies of Automotive OEMs, and what are the strategic implications for OEMs in terms of cost, quality, and customer satisfaction?"

The goal is to develop a Cost/ CO2 and circularity KPIs for a H2 engine (based on BOM). The evaluation should include research on the state of the art in science, industry and @ FEV on H2 engine manufacturing and rating of technologies by cost, CO2 and circularity. Develop an approach/ methodology to evaluate the differences conventional engines and H2 Engines considering multiple variables.

The automotive industry is undergoing a significant transformation putting software to the core of vehicle feature development. Software development is already mastered in many areas of consumer electronics (e.g., smartphones, laptops), but the majority of automotive manufacturers is lagging behind. The mostly historically grown architectures and complex control structures are not state-of-the-art.

One key enabler to develop software in a structured way are service-oriented architectures - a principle well established in modern consumer electronics development, but only adapted in automotive to a very small extend. Since the complexity and security aspect of modern car controls is very high, service-oriented architectures are indispensable for the future, but at the same time difficult to develop in the first step.

Potential research question: "To which extend are service-oriented architectures required in modern vehicles, what can be learned from other industries (i.e., consumer electronics) and what are the implementation challenges for automotive OEMs."

The introduction of millions of lines of code in automotive vehicles requires an appropriate approach to guarantee safety & security of the passenger & other participants of traffic.

Functional Safety tries to protect from hazards resulting from faulty and interrupted functionality related to electronics and software. Functional safety identifies potentially dangerous conditions, situations or events that could result in an accident that could harm someone or destroy something.

Where Functional Safety protects humans from faulty systems, cybersecurity protects the system itself. In the best case, cybersecurity makes it impossible for an attacker to take control of the vehicle or any kind of information.

Potential research question: "What is the role and impact of Functional Safety & Cybersecurity in the vehicle development process of and which challenges arise for OEMs and their suppliers regarding implementation, risk control and liability in case of system failure?"

In today's automotive industry, the convergence of cutting-edge technologies, particularly in the realm of Electrical/Electronic (E/E) architectures and network communication, is revolutionizing the vehicle development. This master's thesis aims to delve into the transformative potential of modern network communication technologies and their profound impact on the concept of software-defined vehicles, which are at the forefront of automotive innovation.

The significance of this topic lies in its ability to address critical challenges faced by the automotive sector, such as enhancing vehicle connectivity, enabling advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), and accommodating future autonomous driving functionalities. By comprehensively analyzing the integration and combination of modern protocols for in-vehicle networks (IVN) such as Ethernet, CAN and FlexRay, this research seeks to unravel how these technologies can optimize E/E architectures to create more flexible, efficient, and secure software-defined vehicles.

Potential research question: "How can the strategic implementation of modern network communication technologies within E/E architectures enable the realization of highly adaptable and secure software-defined vehicles, and what are the implications for the automotive industry in terms of safety, performance, and user experience?"

The automotive industry is undergoing a profound transformation, inceasing the importance of computing power to enable advanced vehicle functions such as advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), infotainment and vehicle connectivity. This master's thesis focuses on a potentially pivotal aspect of this evolution: Edge computing. Edge computing refers to processing data closer to its source, often within vehicles, which offers the potential for real-time decision-making and reduced latency. This topic is of importance as it holds the key to unlocking the full capabilities of future vehicles and their infrastructures, as an addition to in-vehicle and cloud computing.

This research aims to investigate the diverse forms of edge computing in the automotive domain and assess their strategic roles. From edge-based ADAS to in-vehicle edge servers and collaborative vehicle-to-everything (V2X) networks, this thesis will delve into their potential to enhance safety, efficiency, and user experience while addressing the challenges of data security and computational resource constraints.

Potential research question: "How can various forms of edge computing be strategically integrated into automotive infrastructures to optimize vehicle performance, safety, and user experience, and what are the implications for the future of the automotive industry?

• You work on technological-strategic tasks in interdisciplinary teams of consultants and technical specialists
• Your daily tasks include the analysis and evaluation of complex issues and result in the derivation of strategic recommendations for action
• You prepare and present results and decision documents
• You support the further development of FEV Consulting
• You support our working students in their personal development and act as a mentor for them

• You work on technological-strategic tasks in interdisciplinary teams of consultants and technical specialists
• Your daily tasks include the analysis and evaluation of complex issues and result in the derivation of strategic recommendations for action
• You prepare and present results and decision documents
• You support the further development of FEV Consulting
• You support our working students in their personal development and act as a mentor for them

• Cost analysis of technical products and components based on hardware decomposition within benchmark projects
• Cost evaluations of technical concepts and solutions for target costing in early development phases
• Identification and evaluation of cost reduction potentials in close cooperation with interdisciplinary project teams
• Further development of existing methods and tools for cost calculation and active know-how construction
• Documentation, presentation and discussion of results in the team and in front of customers

• Cost analysis of technical products and components based on hardware decomposition within benchmark projects
• Cost evaluations of technical concepts and solutions for target costing in early development phases
• Identification and evaluation of cost reduction potentials in close cooperation with interdisciplinary project teams
• Further development of existing methods and tools for cost calculation and active know-how construction
• Documentation, presentation and discussion of results in the team and in front of customers

• You support us in various customer projects and are responsible for individual work packages
• You develop application-oriented solutions
• You perform analyses and research tasks
• You create presentations for the preparation of results
• You prepare and participate in customer meetings

• You support us in various customer projects and are responsible for individual work packages
• You develop application-oriented solutions
• You perform analyses and research tasks
• You create presentations for the preparation of results
• You prepare and participate in customer meetings

• You support us in various customer projects and are responsible for individual work packages
• You develop application-oriented solutions
• You perform analyses and research tasks
• You create presentations for the preparation of results
• You prepare and participate in customer meetings

• Support in cost analyses of technical products and components on the basis of hardware teardowns within benchmark projects
• Support in identification and evaluation of cost reduction potentials in close cooperation with interdisciplinary project teams and responsibility for individual work packages
• Support in cost evaluations of technical concepts and solutions for target cost determination in early development phases
• Further development of existing methods and tools for cost calculation
• Preparation of results and research
• Support at customer meetings from preparation to participation and follow-up

Together with our consultants, you will provide the basis for strategic decisions. You will evaluate the costs of components, manufacturing processes and product technologies and support forward-looking developments. With us, you can expect a varied and exciting work environment, whether in the project office or in the benchmark center, where a wide variety of components are disassembled and documented. You will be part of a strong, agile team. 

• Support in cost analyses of technical products and components on the basis of hardware teardowns within benchmark projects
• Support in identification and evaluation of cost reduction potentials in close cooperation with interdisciplinary project teams and responsibility for individual work packages
• Support in cost evaluations of technical concepts and solutions for target cost determination in early development phases
• Further development of existing methods and tools for cost calculation
• Preparation of results and research
• Support at customer meetings from preparation to participation and follow-up

• You take responsibility for your consulting projects and lead interdisciplinary teams of consultants and technical specialists
• You coordinate strategic recommendations for action with our customers
• You prepare proposals for new technological-strategic consulting projects and coordinate them independently with our customers
• You take responsibility for the further development of FEV Consulting
• You lead younger colleagues, support them in their personal development and act as their mentor

• You take responsibility for your consulting projects and lead interdisciplinary teams of consultants and technical specialists
• You coordinate strategic recommendations for action with our customers
• You prepare proposals for new technological-strategic consulting projects and coordinate them independently with our customers
• You take responsibility for the further development of FEV Consulting
• You lead younger colleagues, support them in their personal development and act as their mentor

Master's theses at FEV Consulting have very strong practical applications and can be based on current issues from our customer projects. Typically, you will have the opportunity to be part of a project team for a longer period of time and to write your master's thesis on a project-related topic. We also offer master theses on new topics and approaches. If you already have your own topic in mind - let's discuss!

Master's theses at FEV Consulting have very strong practical applications and can be based on current issues from our customer projects. Typically, you will have the opportunity to be part of a project team for a longer period of time and to write your master's thesis on a project-related topic. We also offer master theses on new topics and approaches. If you already have your own topic in mind - let's discuss!

Strategic Costing

Together with our consultants, you lay the foundation for strategic decisions. You evaluate the costs of components, manufacturing processes and product technologies and support future-oriented developments.

Master thesis Strategic Costing

Master's theses have a very strong practical relevance and can be based on current issues from our customer projects. Typically, you will have the opportunity to be part of a project team for a longer period of time and to write your master thesis on a project-related topic.

In addition, we offer master theses on new topics and approaches.

Strategic Costing

Together with our consultants, you lay the foundation for strategic decisions. You evaluate the costs of components, manufacturing processes and product technologies and support future-oriented developments.

Master thesis Strategic Costing

Master's theses have a very strong practical relevance and can be based on current issues from our customer projects. Typically, you will have the opportunity to be part of a project team for a longer period of time and to write your master thesis on a project-related topic.

In addition, we offer master theses on new topics and approaches.

• You provide support on technical and strategic tasks in interdisciplinary teams of consultants and technical specialists
• Your daily tasks include the analysis and evaluation of complex issues
• You create management-ready presentations of results
• You take over the planning and preparation of expert interviews and workshops and actively participate in them
• You support our working students in their personal development

• You provide support on technical and strategic tasks in interdisciplinary teams of consultants and technical specialists
• Your daily tasks include the analysis and evaluation of complex issues
• You create management-ready presentations of results
• You take over the planning and preparation of expert interviews and workshops and actively participate in them
• You support our working students in their personal development

• You work on technological-strategic tasks in interdisciplinary teams of consultants and technical specialists
• Your daily tasks include the analysis and evaluation of complex issues and result in the derivation of strategic recommendations for action
• You prepare and present results and decision documents
• You support proposal preparation for new technological-strategic consulting projects
• You are actively involved in the further development of FEV Consulting
• You support younger colleagues in their personal development

• You work on technological-strategic tasks in interdisciplinary teams of consultants and technical specialists
• Your daily tasks include the analysis and evaluation of complex issues and result in the derivation of strategic recommendations for action
• You prepare and present results and decision documents
• You support proposal preparation for new technological-strategic consulting projects
• You are actively involved in the further development of FEV Consulting
• You support younger colleagues in their personal development

• You will assist with cost accounting, document management and data maintenance (ultimately independently, after training).
• You will be involved in the planning of events and business trips. 
• You will be responsible for our modern office atmosphere.
• You will be responsible for selected back office areas and internal projects (interface position).
• You will support us with incoming mail and goods and in ordering and research.
• You will communicate internally and externally, in German and English and ideally, also in Spanish.

• Create digital business processes for a management consulting company for our management consulting company, e.g., by developing a PowerApp for collecting charging data for electric company cars
• This includes the analysis of requirements with business stakeholders
• Build scalable business applications based on Microsoft Power Platform
• Implement solutions in Power Apps, Power Automate, Dataverse and Power BI

• Support in cost analyses of technical products and components on the basis of hardware teardowns within benchmark projects
• Support in identification and evaluation of cost reduction potentials in close cooperation with interdisciplinary project teams and responsibility for individual work packages
• Support in cost evaluations of technical concepts and solutions for target cost determination in early development phases
• Further development of existing methods and tools for cost calculation
• Preparation of results and research
• Support at customer meetings from preparation to participation and follow-up

• You support us in various customer projects and are responsible for individual work packages
• You develop application-oriented solutions
• You perform analyses and research tasks
• You create presentations for the preparation of results
• You prepare and participate in customer meetings

• You support us in various customer projects and are responsible for individual work packages
• You develop application-oriented solutions
• You perform analyses and research tasks
• You create presentations for the preparation of results
• You prepare and participate in customer meetings

Together with our consultants, you will provide the basis for strategic decisions. You will evaluate the costs of components, manufacturing processes and product technologies and support forward-looking developments. With us, you can expect a varied and exciting work environment, whether in the project office or in the benchmark center, where a wide variety of components are disassembled and documented. You will be part of a strong, agile team. 

• Support in cost analyses of technical products and components on the basis of hardware teardowns within benchmark projects
• Support in identification and evaluation of cost reduction potentials in close cooperation with interdisciplinary project teams and responsibility for individual work packages
• Support in cost evaluations of technical concepts and solutions for target cost determination in early development phases
• Further development of existing methods and tools for cost calculation
• Preparation of results and research
• Support at customer meetings from preparation to participation and follow-up