My journey began in Karnataka, India, with a degree in Electrical, Electronics & Communication Engineering from Visveswaraiah Technological University, spanning over two decades in embedded systems innovation. I started at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited as an R&D engineer on the Dhruv helicopter project, where indigenous aerospace development taught me rigorous engineering discipline. At HCLTech, I developed Boeing 787's hydraulic and fire protection systems under DO-178B/C standards, learning that precision isn't optional, lives depend on it. Capgemini challenged me to make ISO 26262 standards accessible through a Design for Safety tools bridging compliance and creativity. Seven transformative years at Danlaw Inc. followed, leading Ford's ADAS camera programs and becoming a recognized expert in ECU network certification through testing automation. Robert Bosch brought global scale, where leading multinational teams for Tesla's Passive Safety Systems taught me that technical excellence requires cultural intelligence.

Currently working as Senior Technical Project Manager at Ford Motor Company, engaged through Akkodis Inc, where she leads final integration and safety testing for Ford's autonomous vehicle and ADAS programs. This is among the most critical and specialized functions in vehicle development — the phase at which all AV/ADAS subsystems, including powertrain, chassis, ADAS sensors, perception algorithms, communication networks, and fail-safe mechanisms, must be validated as a coherent, safety-compliant system before production release. In this role, Shilpa leads cross-functional engineering teams through the final system integration of AV and ADAS vehicle platforms, ensuring all subsystems meet Ford's design specifications and FMVSS regulatory requirements before Start of Production (SOP). She oversees comprehensive safety validation protocols for AV and ADAS systems, aligned with ISO 26262 for functional safety, SOTIF (ISO 21448), and ISO/SAE 21434 for automotive cybersecurity. Her responsibilities also include managing the resolution of safety-critical defects across sensor systems — encompassing LiDAR, radar, and camera technologies — as well as decision-making algorithms and fail-safe mechanisms, all before production release.

Beyond her technical oversight, Shilpa coordinates between Ford's internal software, hardware, and systems engineering teams and Tier-1 suppliers to ensure the on-time, safety-compliant delivery of autonomous systems. She is further responsible for managing program milestones, risk registers, and gate reviews across complex, multi-stakeholder AV/ADAS programs, ensuring that each initiative progresses with the rigor and precision that safety-critical automotive development demands.

Previously, as Director of Technical Program Management at O2Xi Innovation, I'm developing autonomous driving systems that are innovative and affordable, redesigning architectures that enhance detection accuracy while accelerating development.
I hold an MBA in Information Systems from Grand Canyon University and patents for smart vision and driver monitoring systems. As a Fellow Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and International Association of Engineers (IAENG), Senior Member and reviewer with IEEE Vehicular Technology Society (VTS), and Senior Member and Judge with Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), I'm committed to shaping industry direction and mentoring innovators.

What drives me isn't metrics, it's creating technology that makes transportation safer and accessible to all. The autonomous revolution is here, and I'm helping write its code.