Electrifying the Next Generation of
Innovative Automotive Leaders
Perficient is strongly committed to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives. We believe it is critical to provide young people with academic and skill-building opportunities to pave the way for a better future.
While every industry plays a role in the global mission to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, the automotive industry is front and center because of its direct impact on consumers and potential for change.
The next generation of automotive leaders will accelerate innovation and sustainability, which is why we are proud to partner with Formula SAE and Formula Student teams from leading universities that are engineering the future of vehicles in many of the communities where we live and work.
We are excited about the future of the automotive industry that these students are creating. The advancements created by Formula SAE students are a strong representation of future innovations that we can expect within the industry. Perficient is privileged to be able to partner with students like these who are shaping the future and we proudly support their endeavors.
- Justin Huckins, Director of Digital Strategy
STEM Students Meet the Challenge
Perficient's passion for automotive and STEM came together in a perfect partnership to support computer science and engineering students at Monterrey Tec. As a participant in the school's Education Partners program, we challenged the computer science students to build a tool to help their Formula SAE team, Tec Racing, document processes, collaborate, and make progress visible to sponsors. With this new tool, Tec Racing looks forward to finishing its vehicle in time for next year's competition!
We are excited to share our automotive insights and expertise with students and witness how each program achieves its goals throughout the year. As part of our partnership, we provide students opportunities to learn how companies like Perficient are transforming the automotive and mobility industries through technology and innovation.
Every year, the Washington University student-run Formula SAE team travels to Michigan International Speedway with its Formula-style race car to compete against more than 100 other teams from around the world and to be judged by industry professionals.
The Northwestern University team emphasizes inclusion through education, bringing together undergraduate and graduate students from all backgrounds for the unique opportunity to learn from and mentor each other in the spirit of Formula car building and racing. The team began creating its first-ever electric vehicle in 2022.
In June, Mizzou Electric Racing, formally Mizzou Eco-Racing, a team focused on building solar and hydrogen-powered vehicles, competed with an electric vehicle for the first time. The competition was a great success, and the team plans to rebuild the EV for the 2024 competition.
Texas A&M’s SAE team hosts a Formula program for students to design and test cars to race against global competitors. The program emphasizes opportunities for students to build skills, learn from experts, and advance their engineering careers. In 2021, the university announced that it had formed an EV-only competition team.
Founded in 1986, Michigan’s Formula SAE team has spent more than 35 years utilizing top talent from its undergraduate and graduate programs to consistently place high in competitions. MRacing is one of the top-ranked programs in the world.
The University of Minnesota team designs and builds Formula-style race cars to compete in the global Formula SAE series. The team’s mission is to create combustion and electric open-cockpit open-wheel vehicles that are competitive both on the track and in the market with a robust business plan.
The Ohio State University engages students in the engineering, business, and science departments to design, build, and race their own cars on the national and international level with the goal of implementing the latest techniques and advancements in Formula car engineering.
The Dallas Formula Racing team has more than 90 active members across five different schools and has produced candidates for internships and jobs at well-known brands such as Tesla, Toyota, McLaren, and SpaceX.
This team has been racing in Formula SAE dynamic and static competitions as well as in national endurance competitions since 2016. The team welcomes everyone to join regardless of experience and only requires enthusiasm and a willingness to learn.
The USC team has invested in its racing progam for years, culminating in huge wins in 2023. Its vehicle, Candi, competed in Michigan and made it to the design finals for the first time. The team finished eighth in design, first in brakes, and in the top three for aerodynamics.
Since its founding in 1987, this team has built 25 different cars to compete in Formula SAE competitions around the world, including in England and Australia. Its latest electric vehicle shattered the North America acceleration record and the team placed 10th overall in the Michigan competition.
This university recently established “electromobility” as a priority, and has implemented several new academic programs on hybrid and electric vehicles, autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, and more. It’s no surprise that the school has an excellent racing team that it’s proud of, and that we’re excited to partner with.
The DHBW racing team in Stuttgart, Germany builds electric vehicles and races against 500 other teams internationally in Formula Student competitions. It also has an entire team dedicated to designing and building autonomous systems.
Check Out Our Podcast
In this episode of Perficient's What If? So What? podcast, Jim Hertzfeld interviews Luca Ranzani, team captain of MRacing at the University of Michigan, who explains how he applies what he's learned in the classroom to his work in real-life automotive innovation and EV engineering.
Tap Into Our Automotive Industry Expertise
OEMs, suppliers, and dealers count on our strategy and technology solutions to impress owners and passengers. Learn how you can partner with us as you move the needle on the global initiative to reduce emissions.