Where Are They Now: Chris Manning of dSPACE North America
- Mayah Morrison
- Feb 23
- 3 min read
Chris Manning and His Journey to dSPACE
The Advanced Vehicle Technology Competition has seen decades of students develop skills that are integral to their future careers. Sponsors, like dSPACE, help make these experiences possible for students. In this blog, we will spotlight Chris Manning and his career journey that traces back to his time in AVTC.
Manning is an engineering manager of Autonomous Driving and Software Engineering at dSPACE North America and was previously a member of the Virginia Tech EcoCAR 2 team for three years from 2011 to 2014.
The Begining
Manning first became involved with AVTCs through his Mechanical Engineering Senior Design Capstone project.
“A friend of mine had been involved as an undergraduate independent study and talked about the project, so I applied to join as a senior,” he said.
The hands-on nature of the competition was engaging.
Manning said, “You would sometimes see the team vehicles driving around campus and testing, and you could tell that this was a really valuable program.”
Manning joined the EcoCAR 2 competition, working on the Chevy Malibu. His focus was on control system development and testing, a role that would later prove pivotal in shaping his career.
Manning was the controls GRA, where he led seniors on the team to integrate and control new components.
“We integrated an energy consumption control strategy for a P2-P4 series parallel hybrid along with communication and diagnostics for all of the components,” he said.
During his time, one of his proudest milestones was seeing the vehicle drive under its own power for the first time.
Manning said, “One key lesson I learned during EcoCAR was to just put something together and test it out.”
Manning remembers the difficulties of competition testing. When projects were not running smoothly, taking a step back to sit and brainstorm a solution with the team was the best solution.
Where Is He Now
Today, Manning manages a team of engineers focused on ADAS/AD (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems/Automated Driving) projects and software development at dSPACE, one of the sponsors of the EcoCAR EV challenge.
“I think the leadership experience I gained in EcoCAR is certainly one thing that set me up for success as a manager.”
He credits his leadership experience in EcoCAR as a critical skill he brought to the table when first transitioning post-grad. The values Chris took from EcoCAR continue to shape his leadership style today.
“My role now at dSPACE, I put a lot of emphasis on trying to make sure my team is set up for success, and I think the roots of that are back in my role with the EcoCAR team.”
He also emphasizes troubleshooting as a critical skill.
“Engineering would be really easy if the solution to every problem was known and worked the first time, but it’s not that way in the real world,” he said, “being able to figure out exactly why the software or system isn’t working is a key trait.”
Chris hasn’t left EcoCAR behind. He has been involved especially since dSPACE has continued to sponsor the teams with products like the MicroAutoBox, HIL systems, or AUTERA.
“I hope to see AVTCs continue to train engineers and prepare them for work in the automotive industry. Being involved as an industry professional is always a good way to give back.”
Wrapping It Up
Manning offers practical advice for students to connect with the sponsors you interact with at EcoCAR events and those you work with throughout the year.
Manning’s journey from late nights in the Virginia Tech lab to leading autonomous driving projects at dSPACE is a testament to the power of AVTCs. His story shows how hands-on competition experience can launch a career, instill lifelong values, and inspire alumni to give back to the next generation of engineers.
Want to learn more about how EcoCAR prepares students for industry leadership? Visit AVTC’s website or explore how your university can get involved in the next challenge.
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