Advanced vehicle control systems are becoming more sophisticated on today's vehicles for both safety and propulsion. This results in an increasing demand for highly skilled automotive technicians to maintain and repair these complex systems. Currently, training for testing and repair of these systems is limited to manufacturer and dealer channels. A large unmet demand in the secondary repair market exists. J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College (JSRCC) in collaboration with City College of San Francisco, Southside Virginia Community College and James Madison University will develop three courses in advanced vehicle control systems including laboratory exercises, pilot the courses in traditional class format, and refine, convert and deliver them in distance learning format. The project will also provide students with applied research experience and disseminate the results nationwide.
The broader impacts of this project include developing course and laboratory materials that can be adopted by other institutions, spurring the training of advanced vehicle control technologies in two-year schools nationwide, and addressing the unmet demand for high-tech automotive technicians. The project plans to host statewide conference to demonstrate the programs and laboratories in Virginia and California. A national web-based symposium will also be developed to facilitate the dissemination of the project results. Presentations will be given in regional and national conferences.
