Handbook of Automotive Engineering

Professor Dr.-Ing. Dr.-Ing. E.h. Hans-Hermann Braess, VDI, 1936— , studied mechanical engineering and automotive technology at Hannover Technical College [Technische Hochschule Hannover]. After one year as a suspension designer at Ford in Cologne, H.-H. Braess worked as scientific assistant at Munich Technical University [Technische Universitat Munchen] from 1964 to 1970, where he obtained his doctorate based on a dissertation on “The Theory of Automotive Steering Behavior.” From 1970 to 1980, he worked at Porsche AG, Stuttgart, from 1977 as head of research. In 1980, H.-H. Braess joined BMW AG in Munich, where he was director of “Research, Engineering and Scientific Services” (renamed “Science and Research” in 1985) until his retirement in 1996. H.-H. Braess is honorary professor at the Munich and Dresden Technical Universities as well as the Dresden College of Business and Technology [FHTW Dresden] and is author of more than 150 publications, including numerous books. He was or is a member of several professional societies and panels, including the Automotive Technology Research Association [FAT, Forschungsvereinigung Automobiltechnik] of the German Automotive Industry Association [VDA, Verband der Automobilindustrie] and is on the board of trustees of the Deutsches Museum, Munich. The Association of German Engineers [VDI, Verein Deutscher Ingenieure] honored the professional impact of Dr. Braess’s long membership, during which he was actively engaged (from 1972 onward) in the VDI Society of Vehicle and Transportation Technology and for technical and scientific cooperative efforts, by bestowing its Benz-Daimler-Maybach Medal in 1993. In 1994, H.-H. Braess was honored with the (American) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration {NHTSA] Safety Award.

Professor Dr.-Ing. Ulrich Seiffert, VDI, 1941— ,studied mechanical engineering at Brunswick Technical University [Technisehe Universitat Braunschweig]. He earned his doctorate at Berlin Technical University in 1974 with a study of vehicle safety. He joined Volkswagen in 1966 as a researcher; from 1979 to 1988, he was director of corporate research and powertrain development. Thereafier, until the end of 1995, he was on the Volkswagen AG board of directors as vice president of research and development. In 1996, he became principal partner of WiTech Engineering GmbH, and since 1998 he has been spokesman for the Brunswick Technical University Center of Transportation [Zentrum fir Verkehr der TU Braunschweig]. He is a member of ACATECH and of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences. For many years, Ulrich Seiffert has been engaged in honorary engineering work on behalf of the VDI: he is a board member of the VDI Society of Vehicle and Transportation Technology as well as chairman of the VIM Traffic Advisory Board. Since 1981, he has lectured at Brunswick Technical University and is a member of the scientific advisory board of the journal Motortechnische Zeitschrfl (MTZ). Recognized with national and international awards for his professional efforts in the field ofvehicle safety and environmental protection, Ulrich Seiffert holds a number of patents related to vehicle safety. In addition to more than 300 technical publications, including numerous SAE papers, Ulrich Seiffert is author of several technical books, including Automotive Technology of the Future (SAE, 1991, with Peter Walzer), Fahrzeugstcherheit-Personenwagen (VDI-Verlag, 1992), and, with Lothar Wech, Automotive Safety Handbook (SAE, 2003).