Master Thesis Work - Find a verification test for inlay carpets that simulates the "taxi test''

About this opportunity - Background

At Vehicle Engineering, our responsibility spans the entire chassis, interior, climate, body & exterior functions, mechanical Integration, and a range of vehicle attributes with impact on design and customer experience of our complete product. Across these domains and all development cycles, we will lead an effective delivery operation on a complete level in close sync with other Engineering units, functions, and stakeholders across the company.

This thesis work is within the area of Floor System at Interior Trim & Material. 

The taxi test is a test performed to verify the longevity of inlay carpets. These tests are performed passively over a long time, where an inlay mat is put in a taxi, used for around 1.5 years, to then returned and evaluated. Taxi tests are inaccessible, time-consuming, and results vary depending on the person testing the rug; and therefore, no clear normal distribution can be drawn. An alternative is the Taber Abrasion test, measuring how much material is worn off after a number of load cycles. This standardized test is good for gathering quantitative data. It uses single dimension abrasion, does not take in other materials (shoes, dirt, fluids etc.) or weather factors, but therefore does not provide a realistic wear and tear result.

In today's fast-paced automotive industry, a new accelerated life testing method should be developed that can simulate the real use environment of an inlay carpet, but in a much shorter time than the taxi test, but with a more realistic result than the Taber test. It should be able to adjust for a varying target group, have a reproducible result and be representative and robust.

Scope of the thesis work

Develop a test method for inlay carpets simulating the taxi test. Mainly wear and tear under the pedals.

What you'll bring

Mechanical engineering, requirement handling, technical documentation, product development, textile longevity, industrial design, and material education. A driver licence B is a merit. Work is expected to be done on-site mainly.

Duration

•    Tentative proposed thesis work period: 19th January 2026 to 26th of June 2026 (dates can be flexible with +/- 7 days)
•    Academic credits: equivalent to 30 ECTS 
•    Number of students: 1-2 students per project (2 preferred)