MAHESH KUMAR BALTHY
Newark,USA
Summary
Vehicle Integration & Validation Leader with 18+ years of experience delivering system-level verification and end-of-line validation for Autonomous, Electric, and Defense vehicle platforms. Proven expertise in hardware-software integration, electromechanical system validation, requirements traceability, and factory acceptance testing in safety-critical and regulated environments. Strong background in AV bring-up, ECU integration, NVH optimization, and manufacturing test process development.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
Work History
Technical Specialist – Autonomous Vehicle Validation & NVH Integration
Lucid Motors
Newark, CA
11.2024 - Current
- Lead system-level validation and integration activities for electric vehicle platforms, ensuring subsystem and vehicle-level requirements are verified prior to production release.
- Execute factory validation, end-of-line NVH screening, and vehicle acceptance testing to ensure production quality and regulatory compliance.
- Decompose vehicle-level requirements into actionable subsystem validation plans and structured test procedures.
- Perform root cause analysis correlating CAN data, sensor outputs, and mechanical inputs to resolve complex electromechanical integration issues.
- Support manufacturing and supplier quality teams with EOL test criteria, acceptance thresholds, and validation documentation.
- Develop audit-ready documentation including validation reports, compliance artifacts, and traceability matrices.
- Drive system robustness improvements across hardware, firmware, and controls interfaces.
Lead – Vehicle Validation & Systems Integration (Defense Platform)
Oshkosh Defense via HCL
Columbus, OH
05.2023 - 11.2024
- Directed full vehicle Validation & Verification activities across mechanical, electrical, and embedded control systems for next-generation defense vehicles.
- Developed and executed DVP&R, system integration plans, and verification traceability frameworks.
- Led ADAS technical validation and functional safety activities (ISO 26262) across braking, ESP, AVH, and HLA systems.
- Managed environmental, EMC/EMI, durability, and fault injection testing to validate fail-safe and redundancy mechanisms.
- Coordinated third-party laboratory testing and managed multi-million-dollar validation budgets.
- Translated engineering validation results into regulatory and safety compliance documentation.
Vehicle Validation Lead – EV & Autonomous Platforms
Nuro AI
California
01.2022 - 05.2023
- Led autonomous vehicle system validation including powertrain, braking, steering, perception sensors, controllers, and electrical systems.
- Defined validation strategies derived from system requirements and safety standards.
- Developed subsystem and vehicle-level verification plans integrating hardware and embedded software testing.
- Executed autonomous vehicle bring-up, integration testing, and deployment validation in real-world environments.
- Implemented sensor and microphone array testing to enhance AV perception robustness.
- Collaborated with manufacturing and quality teams to ensure vehicles met release criteria prior to deployment.
Senior Manager – Vehicle Integration, Validation & Verification
Nikola Motor Company
Phoenix, AZ
01.2021 - 01.2022
- Led vehicle-level validation across electric powertrain, safety systems, and control architectures.
- Developed structured verification documentation including DVP&R, DFMEA, and compliance artifacts.
- Coordinated factory and field testing activities across multiple facilities and suppliers.
- Improved validation efficiency through process optimization and data-driven reporting.
Education
PhD - End-of-Line NVH Methodologies
MS - Mechanical Engineering
MS - Automotive Engineering
B.Tech - Mechatronics Engineering
Skills
- Vehicle-Level Integration & Validation (EV/AV Platforms)
- Autonomous Vehicle Bring-Up & System Verification
- End-of-Line (EOL) Testing & Factory Acceptance Testing
- Hardware–Firmware–Software Integration
- Requirements Decomposition & Verification Traceability
- DVP&R, DFMEA, Risk Management
- Functional Safety (ISO 26262) & Regulatory Compliance (FMVSS, DoD)
- ADAS / Autonomous Systems Validation
- HIL Development & Fault Injection Testing
- CAN Diagnostics & Controls Integration
- Environmental, EMC, Durability & System Robustness Testing
- Manufacturing Launch Support & Process Improvement
- Root Cause Analysis & Countermeasure Implementation
- Cross-Functional & Supplier Leadership -JIRA, JAMA &3DX organizational tools
- Simulation & NVH: Simcenter Testlab, Brüel & Kjær PULSE, ArtemiS Suite, Dewesoft X, NI Sound & Vibration Suite, VibrationVIEW, Ncode,Python
- Systems & Controls: CANalyzer, HIL Systems, Fault Injection Frameworks
- Analysis: MATLAB, Data Acquisition & Custom Data Pipelines
- Hardware: Multi-channel acquisition systems, advanced microphone arrays, accelerometers
Timeline
Technical Specialist – Autonomous Vehicle Validation & NVH Integration
Lucid Motors
11.2024 - Current
Lead – Vehicle Validation & Systems Integration (Defense Platform)
Oshkosh Defense via HCL
05.2023 - 11.2024
Vehicle Validation Lead – EV & Autonomous Platforms
Nuro AI
01.2022 - 05.2023
Senior Manager – Vehicle Integration, Validation & Verification
Nikola Motor Company
01.2021 - 01.2022
MS - Mechanical Engineering
MS - Automotive Engineering
B.Tech - Mechatronics Engineering
PhD - End-of-Line NVH Methodologies
PATENTS & PUBLICATIONS
- Trade Secret Patent – End-of-Line Noise Screening Methodology
- Best Technical Paper – SAE -6 Technical papers
- Multiple international technical publications and conference presentations
Additional Experience
- Staff Engineering Manager – Electric Drive Systems | BorgWarner Inc.
- Powertrain NVH Specialist | Delphi Powertrain Technologies
- NVH Engineer – R&D | FEV GmbH
- NVH Engineer | Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.
LEADERSHIP & ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT
- Adjunct Professor – Vehicle Acoustics and Dynamics
- Mentor and technical trainer for validation engineers and cross-functional teams