Cibi Kaliamoorthy: software developer and architect of the future

As the world leader in technology for premium shock absorber, thyssenkrupp Bilstein is shaping the future of chassis technology. Adaptive systems and semi-active chassis for self-driving cars: modern shock absorbers and suspension systems are steadily merging with mechanics, electronics, and software. That's right up Cibi Kaliamoorthy's street. As Head of System Integration, Cibi and her team are redefining and driving technology standards forward every single day.

There's a motto that Cibi Kaliamoorthy has had all her life: "Be the architect of your own world". She sees software as the perfect introduction to a particularly exciting world. "Software is redefining technologies in the automotive sector", says Cibi resolutely. "As the world leader in premium damper technology, Bilstein has everything you could need to achieve the best possible driving experience".

Software is revolutionizing suspension systems

Cibi has been actively involved in shaping change at Bilstein for over ten years. She started working at thyssenkrupp Bilstein as a software developer for pre-development projects in 2012 after completing her master's degree. Early on, she took on greater responsibilities and quickly managed her first client projects. "At the same time, I was given the chance to redefine and standardise development methods internally," Cibi reveals. "After successfully working on a variety of client projects around the world, I was promoted to team leader three years ago and have acquired and implemented even more client and development projects over the course of the last few years," she reports.

Over time, electronics and software grew in significance within the area of product development. As Head of System Integration, Cibi currently manages a team of nine colleagues. Together, they develop bespoke software solutions for several well-known companies in the automotive world: "We develop solutions for all types of vehicles, from passenger cars to sportscars, limousines, and pickup trucks".

At a time when chassis are getting smarter and more powerful as complexity and model diversity increase, the role that software developers like Cibi play is also growing in importance. Software, electronics, and algorithms have long been seen as being just as important as shock absorber tubes, piston rods, and valves. This is because conventional shock absorbers have only one damping programme - experts refer to these as damping characteristics - whereas today's electronic systems allow for several different characteristics. For example, semi-active systems allow you to make lightning-fast, situation-dependent adjustments to the damping force, meaning that you are able to select continuously between the minimum and maximum damping force levels.

On top of that, the innovative systems communicate actively with the vehicle, with control units, and with driving assistance systems: complex algorithms and sophisticated control strategies calculate and adjust the optimal damping force for each wheel hundreds of times per second, depending on the driving situation and wheel selectively. They use sensor data such as wheel and body movement, driving speed or changes in the steering angle as the basis for this. And thanks to innovations such as predictive suspension systems, automated driving and car-to-car communication, software specialists like Cibi will play an even more important role in future.

As software developers, she and her team are not just anticipating and adapting to changes in the automotive industry. They are also defining brand-new standards for a modern and agile software world. It's a challenging job that for which extremely dynamic team players are needed: "The technologies in our sector are developing at an insanely fast rate, and software is steadily becoming the central element in the automotive industry".

"All our projects are very future-oriented, modern, extremely diverse, and each has its own specific requirements," the software developer explains. "We work closely with our clients to find creative and fitting solutions for their requirements. With every project, the challenge is developing meaningful solutions as a team". Cibi is most proud when the solutions that her team has developed make their way into series production. 

Architect of a brand-new automotive world

In addition to the challenges that come with client projects, Cibi also values being able to work alongside her team of software developers and other IT professionals, and is grateful for opportunities for career development provided by thyssenkrupp: "We act like a family and support one another. By doing so, we can strengthen the team as it works towards a common goal".

It's clear to see that Cibi Kaliamoorthy is no longer "just" the architect of her own world. Indeed, with the help of thyssenkrupp Bilstein, the software developer has been shaping a brand-new automotive world for a long time.

Does the combination of software and cars fascinate you, too? Are you interested in making your mark on the automotive world? Then visit our job board and find out about exciting roles for software developers and IT professionals at thyssenkrupp!