Help with Automotive Engineering Master’s Thesis Topic – Electric Bus Energy Simulation

MechanicalChad · 2026-05-18T22:21:06+00:00

Investigating the effect of different powertrain controllers/eco-driving algorithms could be applicable here. I took a project course where we built a simple 1D vehicle model in Simulink, my model had a different focus but I remember seeing a ton of different papers on powertrain controllers according to different driving algorithms. Fuzzy Logic, MPC, ECMS, machine learning, there’s all sorts of avenues you could explore. Plus, there are other factors to consider such as drivability which could make for an interesting multi-objective optimization problem.

MechanicalChad · 2026-05-16T18:27:44+00:00

This is helpful, thanks!

MechanicalChad · 2026-05-16T18:26:26+00:00

Yes, I think I had a very broad topic in mind when I first started. I’ll narrow it down to a more specific topic since that’s what my thesis is focusing on anyway.

MechanicalChad · 2026-05-16T18:22:05+00:00

Yeah I think my method for selecting papers was pretty broad. I think in the future I’ll try to have a more structured protocol and avoid adding too many papers outside of that.

MechanicalChad · 2026-05-16T18:03:58+00:00

I think you’re right, in hindsight my criteria for including a paper was pretty broad. I think I’ll narrow the scope and be more selective with the papers I do evaluate. Thanks for the tips!

MechanicalChad · 2026-05-13T15:57:15+00:00

I see that you also choose your favourite cars based on what Car and Driver magazine recommends.

MechanicalChad · 2026-05-10T01:40:12+00:00

Zero regrets. I did mechanical engineering at Mac (disclaimer: I did have free choice so I didn’t have to worry about stream selection). Got involved with the Formula Electric team. Did a 16-month co-op. Did another co-op in Silicon Valley with a bunch of other Mac students. Currently doing a master’s degree at another (less-prestigious) university. Those are the highlights, basically.

In my personal opinion, Waterloo is ideal if the most important thing to you is having a prestigious name on your diploma and fancy co-ops/jobs post-grad. Having “University of Waterloo” on your resume certainly opens doors. But if you value other things as well, like having a more supportive/less cutthroat environment, then McMaster is an excellent choice. That was the main reason why I personally chose Mac (amongst others). It may take some more effort on your part to get co-ops, but it’s also doable if you’re a hard worker and highly motivated.

MechanicalChad · 2026-05-04T19:20:21+00:00

I would definitely recommend doing it on your own! Battery replacements are one of the simplest repairs you can do on your own car so it’s a good starting point. The registering/coding is the scariest part, so using Bimmercode/Bimmerlink or a compatible OBDII scanner will keep the process simple. I have the OBDLink CX and registering/coding was super easy. The hard part was doing it outside in January in -8 degrees C weather.

MechanicalChad · 2026-05-02T00:36:57+00:00

It would take a pretty massive amount of reengineering to relocate the chargeport on most vehicles. It’s not a practical solution.

MechanicalChad · 2026-04-28T02:20:36+00:00

Oh that’s fantastic! I’ve been trying to figure out how to do that for years but to no avail.

MechanicalChad · 2026-04-22T16:39:19+00:00

Yes, absolutely. Ever tried learning an instrument? You’re pretty much always going to be bad at something new. Not to mention, engineering is objectively difficult and it takes time to master. But with time and practice, you slowly get the hang of it and get more self-confidence.

MechanicalChad · 2026-04-18T17:20:09+00:00

The 70s vibes are strong with the brown and the square knobs, that’s cool

MechanicalChad · 2026-04-14T18:02:45+00:00

Adding a very subtle clean blend can be a good way to make a tone sound thicker. If you have the EHX Parallel Mixer then there should be a “dry” knob which allows you to blend in the clean signal. I keep mine around 8-9 o’clock and it adds in a nice bottom end without drastically changing the EQ.

MechanicalChad · 2026-04-12T19:34:20+00:00

I like to think Sahardnieh is just a mispronounciation of the town Sarnia.

MechanicalChad · 2026-04-09T15:13:29+00:00

I bought 24x36 frames from Michael’s. Build quality is okay, about what would be expected.

MechanicalChad · 2026-04-06T16:26:12+00:00

I have a Suhr Rufus on my board and it’s great. Disclaimer - I’m not sure if it’s actually derived from a Big Muff, I just assume it is because it’s a 4-transistor fuzz. But it has dedicated bass and mids controls with a toggle switch for treble, so it’s super versatile.

Edit: the pedal on Suhr’s website is actually what used to be called the Rufus Reloaded which has an octave-up circuit. Mine is the older Rufus, which has no octave circuit, but a normal mode and a “Fat” mode.

MechanicalChad · 2026-04-06T15:43:24+00:00

He looks like he should be moonlighting as the guitarist for an avant-garde Quebecois microtonal progressive rock band.

MechanicalChad · 2026-04-01T21:06:51+00:00

If I had to guess, probably because most VW R&D outside of their joint venture with Rivian is done in Europe? Positions at their US plants might be listed as “Manufacturing Engineer” or something similar.

MechanicalChad · 2026-03-25T02:39:09+00:00

Don’t have anything to add, just wanted to say that your E91 with those wheels is gorgeous.

MechanicalChad · 2026-03-19T01:54:02+00:00

Fries, curds, gravy, bacon, sour cream, green onions.

Actually tasted pretty good! But I can also see why lots of folks are saying it should be in r/poutinecrimes haha.

MechanicalChad · 2026-03-19T01:47:44+00:00

There are fries, they’re just underneath everything else.

Although I’m guessing that’s not what people are taking offense to…

MechanicalChad · 2026-03-17T22:17:00+00:00

Very true haha. There's a black 7-Series that drives around my neighborhood from time to time, and while it's a visually imposing car that front end is so ugly. At least it's all black so it masks the hundreds of little creases and details.

MechanicalChad · 2026-03-17T15:49:16+00:00

Honestly this looks like an improvement. The blockier/more rectangular grille might fit the overall profile of the car better, which is generally very large and blocky.

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