Shivam: From Small-Town Dreamer to a Trailblazer in Autonomous Vehicles
2 min read
Shimla Mar 03
Born in the quiet town of Jhakri, Himachal Pradesh, Shivam’s journey from a young dreamer to a leading innovator in autonomous vehicles is nothing short of inspiring. Growing up, he was influenced by his father, a civil engineer, but chose to forge his own path in automotive technology.
Shivam pursued mechanical engineering at VIT University, where he co-founded Team Pravega, an FSAE team that built and raced formula-style cars internationally. His passion for motorsports took him to the launch of India’s first Formula 1 Grand Prix, earning him an AMG Driving Academy certification and deepening his expertise in vehicle dynamics.
His academic journey led him to Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR), USA, where he pursued a Master’s in Automotive Engineering. At CU-ICAR, he contributed to Deep Orange 5, a partnership with General Motors to design a fully functional concept car that was later showcased at the SAE World Congress.
In 2014, Shivam joined Ford Motor Company, where he played a pivotal role in developing Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS), integrating technologies like adaptive cruise control and autonomous parking.
By 2018, he transitioned into the autonomous driving industry, taking leadership roles at Motional and TuSimple. At TuSimple, his team achieved a historic milestone—successfully completing the world’s first 80-mile driverless truck operation on public roads in Arizona, a groundbreaking achievement in self-driving logistics.
Today, Shivam leads a team of 16 system and safety architects at a Silicon Valley startup, where they are revolutionizing Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) architecture for major automotive OEMs. His team’s cutting-edge platforms enable vehicles to receive seamless over-the-air updates, making them safer, smarter, and more efficient—reducing development time by 20% and increasing vehicle efficiency by 15%.
Through his visionary leadership, Shivam is helping legacy automakers compete with disruptors like Tesla, ensuring the future of transportation is autonomous, connected, and sustainable. His remarkable journey from Jhakri to Silicon Valley serves as an inspiration for aspiring engineers, proving that innovation knows no boundaries.
