Thesis work - Modular Active Pedestrian System

About this opportunity - Background

Innovation starts with being curious. At Volvo Cars, we believe that being curious and truly committed to understanding people is the key to future success. We are looking for driven and motivated students interested in pursuing their master thesis within Vehicle Engineering during the spring term 2026.
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 complete level in close sync with other Engineering units, functions and stakeholders across the company.

This thesis work is within the area of Hood & Fender Systems at Exterior Front & Rear

Background & Motivation

Current active pedestrian safety systems typically use pyrotechnic "hood lifters" near the hood hinges or latch. These enable rapid deployment to protect pedestrians (lowering HIC), but after deployment, multiple components (pyros, hinges, hood, etc.) must be replaced, resulting in high costs and complexity. Tuning pyro characteristics during development is also challenging and time-consuming. There is a growing need for systems that are not only effective but also cost-efficient, sustainable, and easier to reset or reuse. Recent innovations focus on fully reversible, non-pyrotechnic systems that can be deployed multiple times, reset automatically, and eliminate hazardous substances, thus reducing maintenance and repair costs.

Objectives:
•    Explore and develop reversible or non-destructive pedestrian protection systems that reduce total cost of ownership.
•    Enhance sustainability by minimizing waste and hazardous materials.
•    Benchmark current market solutions and identify technical challenges
•    Investigate system prerequisites for reliable, fast, and robust deployment and reset.
•    Address the need for early detection and activation using advanced sensors, enabling proactive rather than reactive protection

Scope of the thesis work

•    Review and analyze existing active pedestrian protection systems, focusing on both pyrotechnic and non-pyrotechnic (reusable) solutions.
•    Design and prototype a reusable or retractable system, including actuator mechanisms, sensor integration, and reset logic.
•    Evaluate system performance: deployment speed, robustness, and effectiveness in real-world scenarios.
•    Assess cost, sustainability, and maintenance implications compared to current market solutions.
•    Consider adaptability for various vehicle classes and body shapes 
•    Include simulation, bench testing, and (if possible) vehicle integration for proof of concept.

What you'll bring

•    Solid understanding of vehicle safety systems, crashworthiness, and pedestrian protection are the required key competencies.
•    Experience or coursework in product development, sensor technology, and control systems.
•    Familiarity with CATIA, simulation tools (e.g., MATLAB-Simulink, Ansys), and basic prototyping.
•    Analytical skills for benchmarking, cost analysis, and sustainability assessment.
•    Strong communication skills for reporting and presenting technical findings.
•    Master’s in Engineering Mechanics / Vehicle Engineering / Automotive Engineering / Mechatronics / Applied Mechanics would be preferred.
•    We are seeking a Master’s student who can work hands-on with physical components on site.

Duration

•    Tentative proposed thesis work period: 19th January 2026 to 26th of June 2026 (dates can be flexible with +/- 7 days)
•    The duration for this thesis work is 20 weeks.
•    30 ECTS (Master academic credits) in agreement with your Thesis Advisor in University
•    This thesis is to be conducted by 1 Student or 2 Students working in pair (preferred).