Göteborg MSc Thesis Student Traction 417 15
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What you'll do
- Investigate previous work done in traction control.
- Develop a basic model of the drivetrain including shafts, gears and tires driving on different surfaces.
- Conduct system identification for current truck drivetrains using data collected from trucks.
- Develop controllers for controlling the power source torque/speed.
- Test the performance of the controllers using simulation environment provided by Volvo Trucks.
- Optimize the controllers for low computation load for use in an ECU.
- Test final controllers on a real truck, if time and resources permit.
What they're looking for
- Controls and system identification profile with good mathematical skills
- Knowledge in control theory, system identification, and signal processing
Nice to have
- Interest in mathematical modeling
Summarised by NextRaise from the employer’s description, which follows in full below.
Full description from employer
Transport is at the core of modern society. Imagine using your expertise to shape sustainable transport and infrastructure solutions for the future. If you seek to make a difference on a global scale, working with next-gen technologies and the sharpest collaborative teams, then we could be a perfect match.
Robust Traction Control of Heavy Vehicle Drivetrains for Handling Different Road Surfaces
Master Thesis Proposal
Most modern vehicles have a traction control system which controls the torque and speed of the driven wheels. The goal of this system is to achieve the requested acceleration. The response of the vehicle should be stable, safe and smooth. The challenging part of developing this control system for heavy vehicles is that the controller must work for many different road surfaces, loads and drivetrains. Trucks have a wide variety of drivetrains with different numbers of driven axles, different placements of axles, different sets of gears and different power sources (electric motor and internal combustion engine). Trucks are driven on a wide variety of surfaces such as asphalt, sand, mud, snow, ice and gravel. The amount of load and placement of the load of trucks changes considerably more when compared to other vehicles like passenger cars. Therefore, a robust controller that can handle these uncertainties and disturbances in a stable way must be developed. The control method should not be complicated as it should be able to be implemented on current truck ECU’s.
The objectives of the master's thesis are as follows:
- Investigate previous work done in traction control.
- Develop a basic model of the drivetrain including shafts, gears and tires driving on different surfaces.
- Conduct system identification for current truck drivetrains using data collected from trucks.
- Develop controllers for controlling the power source torque/speed. The power source can be electric or internal combustion. The controller should be able to handle uncertainty since:
a. Different road surfaces change the interaction between the tire and ground significantly.
b. Truck drivetrains vary considerably. Different gear ratios, number of axles, wheel inertias change the dynamics of the system
c. Truck loading varies substantially. Trucks should be able to handle different amounts of load. Furthermore, the placement of the load can vary. - Test the performance of the controllers using simulation environment provided by Volvo Trucks. Controller robustness and computation requirements are of specific interest in the analysis. Physical limitations of the truck such as actuator response speeds and safety should also be considered.
- Optimize the controllers for low computation load for use in an ECU.
- If time and resources permit, test final controllers on a real truck.
The thesis will require control theory, system identification and signal processing skills. Interest in mathematical modeling is seen as a benefit. MATLAB will be used as the primary development environment. The work will be carried out at Volvo Group Trucks Technology Industrial (TTI). The thesis is recommended for two students with controls and system identification profile with good mathematical skills.
It is possible to apply as two students or separately.
Thesis starts: Jan 2027
Last Date of Application: 30th September 2026
We look forward to hearing from you!
If you would like to know more about the position, please feel free to contact the supervisors:
Basar Özkan - basar.ozkan@volvo.com (Volvo TTI)
Fabian Hellemann - (Volvo TTI)
We value your data privacy and therefore do not accept applications via mail.
Who we are and what we believe in
We are committed to shaping the future landscape of efficient, safe, and sustainable transport solutions. Fulfilling our mission creates countless career opportunities for talents across the group’s leading brands and entities.
Applying to this job offers you the opportunity to join Volvo Group. Every day, you will be working with some of the sharpest and most creative brains in our field to be able to leave our society in better shape for the next generation. We are passionate about what we do, and we thrive on teamwork. We are almost 100,000 people united around the world by a culture of care, inclusiveness, and empowerment.
Trucks Technology & Industrial Division hire team players who are ready to create real customer impact. Our decentralized teams work close to our customers, with speed and autonomy, to build what they truly need.
Join us to collaborate on innovative, sustainable technologies that redefine how we design, build, and deliver value. Bring your curiosity, your expertise, and your collaborative energy, and together, we’ll turn bold ideas into tangible solutions for our customers and contribute to a more sustainable tomorrow.
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