The ‘Vietnamese brain’ powering self-driving vehicles in Europe

In April 2022, Duong-Van Nguyen was awarded the prestigious title of IEEE Senior by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in the U.S.. He is just one of the youngest engineers to receive this honor in the heritage of IEEE.

The IEEE Senior Member position is usually awarded to an professional in the business whose sizeable achievements have contributed to the entire world community in their industry.

Dr. Duong-Van Nguyen was awarded this honor mainly because he has produced many excellent answers for the robotics and automotive industries in the course of his far more than 15 decades in the sphere.

In spite of his many prestigious achievements, Dr. Duong admitted that he felt he has not finished nearly anything too remarkable.

In a modern job interview with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, he shared not only his special ambition for robotics but also what he referred to as his ‘secrets of achievements.’

Dr. Duong–Van Nguyen (L, 2nd) sign up for a panel discussion with gurus from properly-identified automotive businesses at Autosens 2019, just one of the most significant conferences in the Advanced Driver Guidance Systems (ADAS) industry. Image: ICA

He did not like likely to university

Dr. Duong was not a diligent scholar in the classic feeling.

As a little one, he did not like heading to college and invested far more time finding out by himself and reading through science guides after college.

This habit of self-review afterwards proved to be an gain when he turned a school pupil and then a researcher.

“Basically, most people can do anything if you demonstrate them how, as long as they are identified and dedicated to it,” said the Vietnamese specialist, who is head of the ADAS department at Panasonic Automotive Techniques Europe (PASEU) in Germany.

“If you have to go your individual way, it gets extra hard and requires a lot more commitment.

In Germany, instructors are often also active to give comprehensive recommendations to their students.

“They normally teach and operate a company at the exact same time, so learners like me normally have to strategy our individual jobs,” Dr. Duong recalled of how he done investigation as a doctoral college student more than 10 years ago.

In 2008, the concept of self-driving vehicles was continue to rather new to numerous in the earth, allow alone Vietnam.

As a scholar intrigued in fixing useful issues, Duong made the decision to uncover options for autonomous cellular robots.

The innovation of the investigate topic and his resolve confident the jury to award him the DAAD scholarship, which only 2-3 worldwide students can get each and every year.

It was quite special for Duong when he acquired the whole scholarship to go after a doctoral application at the College of Siegen, even however he only experienced a bachelor’s degree at the time.

He is the to start with and only overseas scholar who has received these a federal grant in Germany.

Dr. Duong not only has a great ambition for robotics and the automotive industry but also an modern eyesight for his fields of fascination.

In 2012, when he acquired about the Park4you job of the French organization Valeo, then based mostly in Eire, he resolved to comprehensive his PhD to use to the enterprise.

Earning a doctorate just after four yrs, he labored as an engineer at Valeo, getting aspect of the crew that created the 1st software program to enable a motor vehicle end on its have.

This software package is nonetheless applied nowadays in many products and solutions from automakers such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen, Typical Motors, and Renault.

As an professional in resolving problems in the automotive business, especially the software of artificial intelligence to self-driving cars, Dr. Duong manufactured an critical decision: he remaining Valeo to operate for Panasonic.

In 2016, immediately after a person yr and seven months at Panasonic, Duong and his crew ended up capable to acquire software package that turns a regular car into an smart vehicle able to function like a robot.

He functions as the ADAS main at PASEU and is dependable for most of the company’s activities in Europe, particularly the perform of the World Research Hub workforce.

World-wide Analysis Hub specializes in the advancement of ‘brain’ software for self-driving autos produced possibly by Panasonic or other automotive corporations close to the environment.

“My ambition for robotics is owed to destiny and a minimal luck,” claimed Dr. Duong.

“In those years, my area of investigation targeted primarily on concept, with couple chances for realistic application.

“Now, it truly is very different.

“Vietnam has a vehicle manufacturing facility, younger people today can choose for themselves whether or not they want to pursue this subject or not, and they do not have to rely on luck like I did.”

Dr. Duong-Van Nguyen is a keynote speaker at the Innovation Connectivity Autonomous – ICA Summit 2022 on May possibly 30-31 in Munich, Germany. Picture: ICA

The worth of religion

Just one of the most essential and useful lessons Dr. Duong has discovered more than the past 20 years of working in Europe is faith, specially in scientific fields.

Staying the only Vietnamese among foreign college students a lot more than a ten years in the past, he appreciates how awareness and religion aided him integrate into the unfamiliar ecosystem.

“There is always some discrimination everywhere, especially against Asians,” he explained.

“But many thanks to my willingness to listen to other individuals and convey to them my viewpoint, anyone thinks me.

“They are really good and I am lucky to be ready to function with them.”

In his feeling, people can only think all those who are honest with them. Duong has an unforgettable memory of that.

In 2017, deep studying — a department of synthetic intelligence — turned this sort of a hot trend in the globe that a whole lot of dollars was invested in it.

Versus this backdrop, Dr. Duong was offered the possibility to build software for degree-5 self-driving cars and trucks, the best grade for self-driving cars and trucks by business class.

Stage 5 signifies that a car or truck can drive autonomously without the need of human support. In other words, the level of automation can reach 100 percent.

As an authority on deep learning, Dr. Duong is aware of wherever and in which places AI can be applied and in which the boundaries of the algorithm lie. Degree 5 of automated driving is just one of all those boundaries.

In his feeling, it is unattainable to get to the degree for a self-driving automobile because a lot of facts has to be utilised to train the method.

If Dr. Duong recognized the supply, he would have gotten a lot of revenue simply because AI and deep learning ended up pretty preferred at the time.

He rejected it due to the fact he understood it would direct to very little.

When he turned down the offer you, many other individuals have been eager to choose it.

In 2018, the deep studying movement lastly came to an close.

That was when a panel of scientists setting expectations for protection concluded that a car would have to travel a distance as extended as 34 instances the length involving the earth and the moon, which is unimaginable, to have ample information to choose its self-driving potential.

Considering the fact that then, there has been no chat of a stage-5 autonomous vehicle.

“In point, the level of a self-driving car appropriate can only be stage 2 at existing,” Dr. Duong underlined.

“The consumers who gave me quotes in the earlier now know that I was telling them the reality then.

“That is in excess of.

“The major achievement I can acquire from this is the believe in of these people today.”

Helpful time management for achievement

“I am typically questioned for strategies to attain great good results. I just want to share my very own working experience in the hope that I can assistance other people with it,” Dr. Duong stated.

“I often look on the dazzling aspect, even though in many conditions our life do not flip out the way we want them to.

“Next, I often set a a little better objective for myself, which in convert spurs me to test harder.

“Of training course, when you established increased plans, you will in some cases fail, but then your cheerful perspective will enable you get in excess of the failure.

“Over and above that, I choose seriousness and perseverance seriously. It is not sufficient to be significant and persistent in a week or a month.

“You ought to also have the willingness to master.

“You really should be equipped to believe in that folks will hear to you, have an understanding of you, and respect you.

“This is a truly profound lesson that I have discovered right after quite a few years of learning and working with foreigners.

“Finally, there is 1 a lot more issue you can do appropriate that any individual can do, and that is to control your day.”If you can efficiently management your time, feel me, you may be completely ready for the following techniques on the highway to your achievement.”

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