Academic Credentials
  • Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering Design, University of California, Berkeley, 2007
  • M.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, 2004
  • B.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, 2001
Licenses & Certifications
  • Professional Engineer Mechanical, California, #35666
  • Certified Crash Data Retrieval (CDR) Analyst
  • Certified Crash Data Retrieval (CDR) Technician
  • Six Sigma Green Belt Certification (CSSGB)
Additional Education & Training
  • Traffic Accident Reconstruction Course, Northwestern University Center for Public Safety.
  • Certified Bosch Crash Data Retrieval System Technician and Data Analyst, Collision Safety Institute.
Professional Affiliations
  • American Society of Mechanical Engineers
  • Society of Automotive Engineers
  • Tau Beta Pi

Dr. Wilson specializes in the analysis of vehicles and mechanical systems. His failure analysis work has included passenger car crashes and crashworthiness, accident reconstruction, heavy truck inspections, engine control module (ECM) and event data recorder (EDR) crash module downloads and analysis, off-road vehicles, and all terrain and side-by-side vehicle rollovers.  

Other areas include farm implements and tractors, motorcycles, pedestrians, electric wheelchairs/mobility scooters, golf cars, bicycle frames and bike components, trains, lawnmowers, laser-guided vehicles, fuel systems, hydroplaning, electronic throttle control, window regulators, fuel pumps, vehicle fires, unintended acceleration, brake override testing, carbon monoxide poisoning, 12 V battery explosion, power presses, and gantry cranes. Dr. Wilson has performed a DFMEA of electric power steering for autonomous vehicles and advanced driver assistance (ADAS) systems. He has expertise in automotive powertrains and has performed inspections and analyses of direct injection turbo diesel engine vehicles for lemon law litigation, and dual clutch and automatic transmissions.

Dr. Wilson has experience with TREAD reporting and recall analyses for defect investigations and has performed data analyses using the Office of Defect Investigations (ODI) database, the National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) CDS and GES, FARS, SCI, NiTS, and warranty and complaint data. He has assessed motor vehicle structure and restraint system design and FMVSS crash test performance (including 201-interior, 206-door latches, 208-front, 214-side & pole, 216-roof, 301-fuel), and consumer metrics including NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) front and side impact, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash tests (moderate offset, small offset, side, roof, and rear), and Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI). He has assessed safety standards for consumer products. Additionally, he has experience in mechanical design, solid modeling, 3D printing, prototyping, and new product development.

Dr. Wilson's Ph.D. research focused on the design and testing of head-mounted displays (HMDs) for improved efficiency, situation awareness, and safety in urban/industrial emergency response and firefighting. He has conducted human subjects way-finding experiments with firefighters, which showed the potential navigation efficacy benefit of his HMD. Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. Wilson served as a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of California at Berkeley.