Pedro Neto is a control and automation engineer from Maceió, Brazil. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Universidade Federal de Pernambuco. He brings strong experience in control systems with a focus on microelectronics hardware and low-level programming. In 2024, Pedro joined Dr. Ali Emadi’s research team at the McMaster Automotive Resource Centre (MARC). He now pursues advanced research in motor control, building on five years of hands-on work in the electric mobility industry.
Full Profile
Pedro Neto began his engineering journey in 2019 at Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, one of Brazil’s leading institutions. Early in his studies, he joined the university’s Baja SAE team and discovered his interest in automotive embedded systems. In his first year, he helped develop the vehicle’s central units and electronic subsystems. At his first national competition, which included more than 70 teams, Pedro earned top marks in the electronics system presentation.
That early success led to an opportunity at Voltz Motors, Brazil’s leading electric motorcycle company at the time. He joined their new research and development team and worked closely with global suppliers. Pedro designed embedded hardware and firmware for core motorbike components. In the fast-paced startup environment, he also led the development of the company’s connected ecosystem. He created a mobile app and technical infrastructure that linked more than 2,000 electric bikes. The success of this project helped the company secure a $23M CAD investment.
After three years at Voltz, Pedro moved to Stellantis North America as a software quality process engineer. He helped design the workflows and standards for automotive software to reduce defects in vehicle components. His role required a broad understanding of organizational structure, cross-functional teams, and supplier systems. He focused on streamlining development and maintaining software quality across the company.
In 2024, Pedro joined CERC@MARC under the supervision of Dr. Ali Emadi. He is now a master’s student at McMaster University and is applying his industry experience to motor control research. His work focuses on controllers for switched reluctance and permanent magnet synchronous machines. He develops low-level programming, real-time control implementations, and hardware-in-the-loop testing. Through MARC’s industry partnerships, Pedro continues to bridge practical innovation with research and contribute to the next generation of electric mobility systems.
