Automotive Engineering Expert Investigates Alleged Design Defect

Case Overview

This is a class action case involving an alleged design defect in an automobile model. The case alleged that poor design caused the vehicle’s tires to wear much more rapidly than the industry norm due to a flaw in the vehicle’s alignment. The plaintiffs claimed that the vehicle manufacturer should have known that the vehicles in question contained this design defects. An expert in automotive design was sought to opine on what design or manufacturing flaws may have contributed to this issue.

Questions to the Accident Reconstruction expert and their responses

Please briefly describe your automobile design experience.

I have worked in the automotive industry for 15+ years, during which time, I have primarily been responsible for chassis and suspension component and system design. I have also been responsible for developing alignment specifications and developing systems that provide the best handling for the driver. I have had to ensure that these systems are safe to operate for average operators while balancing the tire wear trade-offs. I am of the opinion that suspension design, alignment specifications, and tire control during suspension travel all have a direct impact on tire wear sensitivity. I have served as a consultant on a similar case in defense of a manufacturer.

What may cause a defect such as this?

To provide the most accurate opinion, I would have to inspect the vehicles in question, perform an alignment of the same, and evaluate the suspension travel in comparison to other vehicles. I am confident I can inspect and opine on the possible issues associated with the tire wear issues in these vehicles.

About the expert

This expert has nearly 30 years of experience in mechanical and automotive engineering. He regularly performs engineering investigations and failure analysis from a mechanical engineering standpoint for both vehicle and non-vehicle-related projects. He earned his BS in mechanical engineering from Michigan Technological University, before receiving his MS in engineering sciences from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Today, this expert is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Illinois and is certified in crash data retrieval. He is an active member of several professional organizations, including the Society of Automotive Engineers and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. This expert previously was a product engineer at General Motors Corporation, the director of product engineering at Oxford Automotive Inc., the senior engineering manager at Hendrickson International, the director of program management at Motor Coach Industries International, and the senior director of engineering at Packer Engineering Inc. Currently, he serves as a senior engineer at a professional analysis and engineering consultancy in Illinois.

E-007975

Specialties:

Accident Reconstruction