Together, Prasad and Rouhana are pioneering advanced safety technologies to make Ford Motor Company vehicles safer while Hrovat is developing automotive controls that improve a vehicles performance, fuel economy and safety.
Prasad, a technical fellow in Safety Research and Development, and Hrovat, senior technical leader in Powertrain Controls, were elected in February to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). Prasad was elected for his contributions in automotive safety and impact biomechanics, the study of the how the human body deforms and injury occurs in vehicle crashes. Hrovat was selected for his contributions to the development of automotive controls that have led to improvements in performance, comfort and safety. Election into the NAE is one of the highest professional distinctions an engineer can receive.
Rouhana, a senior technical leader and group leader of Ford’s Biomechanics and Occupant Protection group, was recently elected as a fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). He is one only 32 electees from the auto industry around the country. The SAE Fellow grade recognizes engineering, scientific and leadership accomplishments.
“Thanks in large part to the significant work by professionals like Priya, Steve and Davor, Ford is a leader in safety innovation,” says Dr. Gerhard Schmidt, Ford vice president of Research and Advanced Engineering. “Throughout their careers, they have dedicated their work to researching and developing advanced safety technologies. The recognition they’ve received by these two distinguished organizations underscores the importance of their contributions.”
Prasad is internationally known as one of the world’s foremost experts in safety. During his 33 years with Ford, he has researched and developed occupant safety technologies, focusing on reducing injuries to the head, neck, chest and lower limbs during vehicle impacts. His work has resulted in of the development of advanced air bags, safety belts and changes in vehicle structure.
Prasad has written nearly 100 technical papers in the areas of basic biomechanical research, automotive safety and mathematical modeling of both vehicle occupants and structures involved in frontal, side, and rear impacts. He is a fellow member of the SAE and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. He was the first recipient of the U.S. Secretary of Transportation National Award for Contributions to the Advancement of Motor Vehicle Research and Development.
Hrovat is one of the leading automotive control systems experts in the industry and is recognized for leading research efforts on powertrain control systems. During his time at Ford, he has worked on advanced programs in drivability, advanced suspensions, transmissions, traction control and active safety. He has contributed to the development of advanced vehicle dynamics and control and is responsible for developing a component of Ford’s traction control system.
Hrovat is the author of more than 50 patents and nearly 100 technical papers. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (AMSE) and was the recipient of the 1996 ASME/Dynamic Systems and Control Innovative Practice Award and the 1999 AACC Control Engineering Practice Award.
Rouhana is internationally recognized for pioneering research in the area of human response to impact, particularly with regard to abdominal injuries and air bag noise. He has written more than 50 technical papers in the areas of basic biomechanical research, crash test dummy development and seat belts.
At Ford, Rouhana is leading the development of advanced belt systems, including four-point belts and the inflatable belt, in which a small, tubular-shaped inflatable bag can deploy inside a shoulder belt in the event of a crash. He is the chairman of the Occupant Safety Research Partnership of USCAR and was involved with the creation of the WorldSID, the world’s most advanced crash test dummy.
Prasad earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Bihar College of Engineering in 1965, and master’s in mechanical engineering and a doctorate in biomechanics from Wayne State University. Hrovat holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Zagreb in Croatia in 1972, and a master’s degree and doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of California, Davis. Rouhana received bachelor’s degrees in physics, mathematics and religious studies from Manhattan College in 1977. He also holds a master’s degree and doctorate in physics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York.