News and Events

As the automotive industry shifts toward electric and autonomous vehicles, security is more important than ever. Research into the field by two UWindsor engineering students was honoured as best paper at the International Conference on Wireless and Satellite Systems, held in Singapore last month.

Pegah Mansourian and Mina Zamanirafe, doctoral students of computer and electrical engineering, developed machine learning software that can detect an attack on systems before they have an effect.

“We want to ensure they are safe as possible for the consumer,” says Mansourian. “If an attack was to occur while a person is driving it could be very dangerous, as the driver wouldn’t have control.”

Their paper, “Anomaly Detection for Connected Autonomous Vehicles using LSTM and Gaussian Naïve Bayes,” co-authored with engineering professor Ning Zhang, computer science professor Arunita Jaekel, and Marc Kneppers, chief security architect for Telus, telecommunications company, focuses on the development of software for the in-vehicle experience.

The capstone showcase for industrial engineering, March 31 in the Centre for Engineering Innovation, featured excellent examples of student achievement, said professor Jill Urbanic.

“The students’ hard work and quality of results were evident during the demo day. They had some great solutions to show off,” she said.

The Faculty of Engineering’s capstone design program generates student-driven solutions to real-world problems. Projects challenge fourth-year engineering students to apply the formal knowledge they’ve gained during their undergraduate studies.

Capstone co-ordinators invited Windsor-Tecumseh MPP Andrew Dowie to participate in a panel discussion on how politics fits into engineering.

The event was multidisciplinary with all capstone disciplines participating. The panel was made up of Bill Altenhof, a professor of mechanical, automotive and materials engineering and former member of Tecumseh town council, and Peter Frise, associate dean of professional programs, as well as Dowie, who is also a civil engineer. The panel was moderated by Jill Urbanic, a professor of mechanical, automotive and materials engineering.

University of Windsor Continuing Education announced a partnership Thursday with Stellantis for the upcoming session of its Applied Leadership Program.

As the industry project partner, Stellantis will provide a case scenario to participants, along with valuable feedback on learners’ capstone presentations at the end of the program.

Jacqueline Oliva (BA 1996, B.Ed 1998), head of human resources for Stellantis Canada, said the automaker’s Windsor Assembly Plant team is pleased to partner with the University to bring a hands-on approach to problem-solving and change management.

“The automotive sector is rapidly changing as we prepare for an electric future and with that comes a significant shift in the way we manufacture vehicles,” she said. “We are looking forward to reviewing the creative solutions generated by this talented group of students and are happy to play a small role in shaping their educational experience.”