Yuchen Song

Yuchen Song built his foundation in vehicle dynamics with a Bachelor’s in Vehicle Engineering from Wuhan University of Technology and sharpened his focus on control theory and embedded systems while earning a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley. Now a Ph.D. student at the Herrick Laboratories in Purdue’s School of Mechanical Engineering, and Vehicle Dynamics & Control Team Lead for Purdue AI Racing, Song drives research that pushes the autonomous racecar to its speed and handling limits by studying vehicle dynamics and developing  control algorithms.

“Control is a bridge between raw mechanical power and intelligent mobility,” Song says. “In autonomous racing, every line of code translates into physical action on the track. That makes the challenge real and the reward tangible.” As autonomous racing continues to serve as a proving ground for physical AI, he envisions a future where innovations from the track flow into everyday driving, making vehicles safer, smarter, and more responsive.