Mr. Lohwasser specializes in issues related to vehicle structural performance and the integration of structural design into overall vehicle crashworthiness. His experience includes setting vehicle crash strategies and subsystem requirements, vehicle design/development process, and vehicle and subsystem testing to meet regulatory compliance, consumer metrics, and OEM requirements. He has expertise in the design of body structures for front, side, rear, and rollover crash protection. His experience also includes the balancing of vehicle subsystem requirements between structures, restraint systems, and other vehicle subsystems. Mr. Lohwasser is also experienced in the application of computer simulation (CAE) to vehicle crashworthiness and other aspects of vehicle design and development such as handling, NVH, structural stress / fatigue, and thermal and aerodynamics.
Prior to joining Exponent, Mr. Lohwasser was employed by General Motors Corporation for 24 years in various positions relating to vehicle design/development with emphasis on CAE and testing. He was a member of the design/development team for several vehicles and was also Director of the Vehicle Simulation and Analysis Department. In his last assignment at GM, he was Director of the Safety and Crashworthiness Department responsible for the crashworthiness performance of North American passenger cars and crossover vehicles. His other professional experience includes employment with Chrysler Corporation (body structure design/development), Massey Ferguson Ltd., (product assurance testing including ROPS), and the U.S. Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory.