Department of Automotive Engineering

Established in 1955 through the relocation and integration of related programs from Jiaotong University, Huazhong Institute of Technology, and Shandong Institute of Technology, the Department of Automotive Engineering (Vehicle Engineering Program) is renowned as the cradle of China's automotive engineering talent. Its historical milestones include:

1. Awarded one of the first master's degree authorization programs in 1978;

2. Awarded one of the first doctoral degree authorization programs in 1981;

3. Selected as one of the first key disciplines under the national "211 Project" in 1995;

4. Approved to establish the "Automotive Engineering Science and Technology Innovation Platform" under the first tier of the national "985 Project" in 2004;

5. Recognized as a "National Featured Specialty" in 2009;

6. Included in the national "Excellent Engineer Training Program" in 2010;

7. Passed the Ministry of Education's "Engineering Education Professional Accreditation" in 2012.

Guided by the principle of "research-led teaching with interactive synergy between teaching and research," the Department offers theoretical instruction, laboratory practice, internship training, innovation initiatives, and scientific research. It is committed to cultivating "academic-oriented," "application-oriented," and "versatile" talents, and maintains well-established undergraduate and graduate teaching systems. The Department offers four core compulsory courses—Automobile Construction, Automobile Theory, Automobile Design, and Automobile Experimentation—along with 26 specialized electives and 3 interdisciplinary electives. Automobile Construction and Automobile Design are national-level planning textbooks and provincial-level premium courses. In alignment with industry needs and national strategies, its research focuses on automotive tires, new energy vehicles, automotive electronics, vehicle dynamics and NVH, and drivetrain and chassis design and control. The Department has developed a graduate training system that integrates theoretical instruction, skill development, and project-based research, and possesses strong capabilities in scientific and technological innovation. It has undertaken vertical research projects from the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Education, the General Armament Department, and Jilin and Changchun municipal authorities, as well as collaborative industrial projects with leading domestic OEMs and parts suppliers including FAW, SAIC, Shaanxi Auto, Geely, Chang'an, Chery, Nanjing Auto, and Dongfeng.

The Department currently has 51 faculty and staff members, including 36 faculty members and 15 laboratory technical staff. All faculty members hold doctoral or higher degrees, with 15 professors and 16 associate professors. Among them are two Ministry of Education New Century Outstanding Talents and one Taishan Scholar. Many faculty members have study or exchange experience in the United States, Europe, or Japan as visiting scholars, overseas postdoctoral researchers, or through participation in international conferences. They have gained engineering expertise through solving practical industrial problems, participating in major national science and technology programs, or serving as enterprise postdoctoral researchers. Faculty members also serve as editorial board members of prestigious journals, national science and technology experts, industry association specialists, and enterprise advisors, enhancing their capacity to serve both industry and national strategic needs. The Department has appointed seven senior enterprise technical experts to provide training in automotive product development engineering, and regularly invites international professors and experts to broaden global perspectives and foster international exchange.

Through teaching and education, scientific research services, university-industry collaboration, international cooperation, and participation in industry teaching and research conferences, the Department has established cooperative and visiting relationships with leading domestic OEMs (such as FAW, Dongfeng, and SAIC), parts suppliers (including FAW Fawer, Bosch Suzhou, and Beijing Hirain), as well as international universities and research institutions (such as the University of Michigan, Virginia Tech, California Polytechnic State University, Ford, Isuzu, and Wabco). Each year, a number of young faculty members engage in academic exchanges with these partner organizations.

To date, the Department has graduated over 22,000 senior vehicle engineering professionals with capabilities in scientific research, design and development, and technical management. Its teaching and research system comprehensively addresses the automotive industry's evolving needs in vehicle engineering fundamentals, new energy vehicles, electrical and electronic control, chassis system integration, and industrial policies and technical regulations. The Department is widely recognized as both the cradle of China's automotive talent and a key base for teaching and research on critical core technologies. Its irreplaceable industry standing is evidenced by its roles as: the Chair Unit of the Vehicle Engineering Subcommittee of the China Machinery Industry Education Association; the Lead Unit of the Engineering Master's Education Collaboration Group in Vehicle Engineering; the Technical Lead Unit for the "Vehicle Engineer Training Program" of the Society of Automotive Engineers of China; and the Vice-Chair Unit of the China Automotive Talent Council.

Independently developed innovative technologies and products include:

① New energy and energy-saving vehicle technologies: in-wheel motor drive electric vehicles, FAW plug-in electric sedans, range-extended electric vehicles, pure electric high-end commercial buses, FAW hybrid buses, and hydraulic hybrid drive systems;

② Automotive chassis electronic control systems: electric power steering, electronic differentials, electronic stability control systems for passenger vehicles, automatic transmission technology for heavy commercial vehicles, regenerative braking, electrorheological automatic clutches, magnetorheological semi-active suspension with adjustable damping, electronically controlled anti-slip differentials, active safety collision avoidance and warning systems, and electronic parking/electromechanical braking/auxiliary braking systems;

③ Automotive chassis system design: drivetrain/suspension/brake/steering system design, engine rubber/hydraulic mounts, engine dual-mass flywheels, lightweight design of automotive components, and NVH analysis and development.

For decades, the Department has undertaken undergraduate instruction in vehicle engineering, the majority of graduate teaching, and numerous research projects at national, local, and enterprise levels. It is hailed by the industry as the "cradle of automotive talent cultivation" and a "teaching and research base for core common key technologies." The Department's development goal is to become a "nationally leading teaching and research base for vehicle engineering and core common key technologies" and a "nationally leading experimental and research facility for vehicle engineering education."

Contact Information (Department of Automotive Engineering)

Address: Department of Automotive Engineering, College of Automotive Engineering, Nanling Campus, Jilin University, 4th Floor, Automotive Engineering Building
Telephone: 0431-85095443
Email: wujian@jlu.edu.cn
Department Director: Wu Jian