News

An alumnus of Waterloo Engineering has been recognized by an industry publication as one of the 100 leading women in the North American automotive industry.

Erin Buchanan (BASc ’98, chemical engineering), general manager of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada in Cambridge, made the Automotive News list for 2025 alongside CEOs, engineers, founders, marketers and financiers described as “visionaries, problem-solvers and catalysts for change.”

In a story about the winners, Buchanan credited Waterloo and its co-op program with leading her into the auto industry.

“Through the co-op program, I was able to gain insight into some manufacturing supply chain companies. I spent several co-op terms working for a few automotive suppliers,” she said.

“That gave me insight into how competitive the industry is, how fast-paced the industry is, how quickly models are changing, how integrated the supply chain can be, how important the relationships are between an OEM and their supplier partners.”

Buchanan was one of only 11 Canadian women named to the list, which is announced by the weekly, Detroit-based newspaper every five years.

By Lauren Ward

Being a female in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) field is one of the most difficult undertakings, with many barriers that women have to overcome to succeed. The Waterloo Centre for Automotive Research’s (WatCAR) own Stefanie Bruinsma had an amazing opportunity to share her experiences within the engineering industry on panel at The Everyday Wonder Woman: Panel Discussion and Movie Screening event hosted by University of Waterloo’s Women in Engineering on March 8^th, 2018 at the Princess Twin Cinemas in Uptown Waterloo.

Batteries with triple the range of those that currently power electric vehicles could be on the horizon after researchers at the University of Waterloo in central Ontario made a significant breakthrough in the technology.

A new process discovered there uses negative electrodes made of lithium metal, a material with the potential to dramatically increase battery storage capacity.

Computer algorithms developed by engineering researchers at the University of Waterloo can accurately determine when drivers are texting or engaged in other distracting activities.

The system uses cameras and artificial intelligence (AI) to detect hand movements that deviate from normal driving behaviour and grades or classifies them in terms of possible safety threats.

From Waterloo Engineering News.

A state-of-the-art automotive research and testing facility that was five years in the making officially opened at the University of Waterloo today with a twist on the old ship-christening tradition.

From Waterloo Stories.

Matt Rose figures he learned more in high school as a member of the prize-winning electric car team than he did in a lot of his academic classes.

From Waterloo News

From the Record

KITCHENER — Clearpath Robotics is hiring 100 people this year as it focuses on driverless vehicles that move materials in warehouses and factories.

From Automotive Testing Technology International magazine

Driverless cars are no longer just being driven in The Jetsons' futuristic utopia. 

Steve Waslander spoke with the CBC's Matt Galloway about how the future is today with the province taking the lead on allowing self-driving cars to be tested on our roads.

Read the full story...