Sonja Brits
About Sonja Brits
Sonja Brits is a Systems Engineer at Motional, specializing in autonomous vehicle systems. She has extensive experience in the field, having worked in various roles at organizations such as nuTonomy, AMZ Racing, and Autonomous Intelligent Driving GmbH.
Work at Motional
Currently, Sonja Brits serves as a Systems Engineer at Motional, a position she has held since 2020. In this role, she focuses on addressing system-level challenges within the autonomous vehicle sector. Her work involves transforming research into practical applications, contributing to the advancement of autonomous driving technologies.
Previous Experience in Autonomous Vehicles
Before joining Motional, Sonja held various positions in the autonomous vehicle industry. She worked as an Autonomous Vehicle Intern at nuTonomy in Singapore for five months in 2018, where she gained hands-on experience in system engineering. Additionally, she served as Software CTO and Module Lead at AMZ Racing in Switzerland, where she was involved in the development of driverless vehicle technologies from 2018 to 2020.
Education and Expertise
Sonja holds a Bachelor's Degree in Mechatronic Engineering from Stellenbosch University, which she completed between 2013 and 2016. She furthered her education at ETH Zurich, earning a Master's degree in Robotics, Systems, and Control from 2017 to 2020. Her academic background provides a solid foundation for her expertise in systems engineering and autonomous vehicle technology.
Background in Engineering
Sonja's engineering background includes internships and roles that have shaped her skills in software architecture and vehicle autonomy. She interned at Donix Electronic Solutions in 2014 and 2015, and worked as a Master Thesis Student at Autonomous Intelligent Driving GmbH in Munich in 2020. Her involvement with Duckietown Alumni as a Vehicle Autonomy Engineer in training further enhanced her practical experience in the field.
Contributions to AMZ Racing
At AMZ Racing, Sonja played a significant role in the development of driverless vehicle systems. She held positions as Software Architecture and Software CTO, where she led efforts in software infrastructure and contributed to the Formula Student Driverless initiative. Her passion for autonomous driving and racing was cultivated during her time with the team, influencing her career trajectory.