An internationally recognized authority in automotive control systems, Dr. Hrovat’s work has contributed to the development of automotive controls that have helped improve many aspects of vehicle performance, comfort and vehicle safety.

Pioneering Work

During his 25-year career at Ford, Dr. Hrovat has often been asked to support important company programs and activities, ranging from work on advanced suspensions, the state-of-the-art $100 million Drivability Test Facility, swap-shift controls and superior drivability of the world’s first hybrid SUV to work on the highly effective Traction Control and industry-first Roll Stability Control.

Dr. Hrovat pioneered applications of model-based predictive controls in the automotive industry. He developed some of the first transmission shift control models and closed-loop algorithms, which are still in use today. In all, Dr. Hrovat has authored more than 50 U.S. patents and numerous internal and external technical publications.

Awards and Recognition

A leading automotive control systems expert, Dr. Hrovat is an internationally recognized authority in this field.

Dr. Hrovat was named a Ford Technical Fellow in 2006. He is only the 12th person to receive the title, considered the highest individual technical honor within the company. Also in 2006, Dr. Hrovat was elected to the National Academy of Engineering, which is among the highest professional distinctions for engineers.

Dr. Hrovat’s exceptional expertise has also been recognized outside the automotive industry as well. In 1999, he was invited (as the sole representative from the automotive industry) to participate in the International Engineering and Test Evaluation Board, established by the National Transportation Safety Board to evaluate the safety of the Boeing 737 rudder control system. This effort further improved the safety of the world’s most popular commercial airplane.