Can you introduce yourself?

I am Appala Naidu Kandregula and I come from a city called Visakhapatnam in the southern part of India. 

I have 18 years of experience in the automotive industry and an educational background in electrical and electronics engineering. I have been working with ALTEN these past 6 years and acquired wonderful working experience. 

What is your expertise and how did you acquire it? 

My expertise is in verification, validation, and fault tracing of various vehicle functions in the automotive industry. 

I’ve been a Project Lead for 5 years now, allowing me to gain HIL expertise (Hardware in Loop setup where multiple ECUs – Electronic control units are connected for verification and validation), vehicle testing, and automation with vector software and hardware tools. I’ve acquired this experience thanks to numerous client projects, such as Volvo Cars, Volvo Trucks, and CEVT through ALTEN Sweden. 

What does a typical day look like in your position? 

My typical day usually involves but is not limited to fault tracing the issues in HIL rigs and vehicles, interacting with multiple stakeholders, and analysing technical requirements.  

Can you tell us about one specific project in which you were able to highlight this expertise? 

My current assignment is with Volvo Cars, where I’m focusing my work on door locking and alarm groups. I am using the full extent of my knowledge to support different teams within ALTEN in validating functions door modules, locking control, tailgate systems, and alarm functions. I am also involved in analysing critical issues and supporting the group when required. 

What is the most challenging aspect of your job/area, and how do you approach overcoming it? 

One of the most challenging aspects of my current job is meeting project deliverables and ensuring high-quality results. This often requires a high focus on work prioritisation and swift coordination with multiple stakeholders.  

To achieve this, I concentrate on early planning, clear communication, and breaking my tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. As a result, I’ve been successfully delivering my test results on time, and I’ve learned to remain adaptable and calm when unexpected obstacles arise. 

In what ways do you continuously seek to improve your skills and stay updated with industry trends? 

I keep up to date by learning from others within Volvo Cars. I also attend external courses with vectors to learn about new features within the vector tools that I use in my daily work. ALTEN also provides a variety of insightful courses to enrich ourselves. 

If you could describe your work philosophy in one sentence, what would it be?

Remaining eager to learn and prioritising good collaboration with the team will always be a big benefit.