Dr Suraj Harsha Kamtam: Automotive Cybersecurity Test & Validation Engineer
Dr Suraj Harsha Kamtam
MSc Cyber Security Engineering, 2021
Based in:
JLR Gaydon
Ambitions for the future:
My ambition is to continue working on industry-led research projects that improve the security and resilience of networks and communication systems used in emerging technologies. I am particularly interested in developing practical cybersecurity and AI-driven solutions for connected vehicles, critical infrastructure, and other cyber-physical systems.
In the longer term, I hope to establish my own start-up focused on securing these future technologies. My goal would be to translate research into real-world products and services that help organisations detect threats, protect communications, and build more resilient systems.
Automotive Cybersecurity Test & Validation Engineer, JLR
Describe your current role and what attracted you to it.
My role involves vehicle-level functional and integration testing, ECU diagnostics, cybersecurity risk assessment, and investigating communication or production issues using tools such as Wireshark, UDS, and Python-based automation. I have also developed tools to improve diagnostic tracking and defect reporting across vehicle production and laboratory environments.
What attracted me to this role was the opportunity to work at the intersection of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and real-world automotive engineering. I wanted a role where I could translate academic research into practical solutions. The position enables me to contribute directly to the safety, security, and reliability of connected vehicles while working on complex challenges that have a visible impact on production systems and future mobility.
What are the key skills you learnt at Warwick that have helped you with your career to date?
At Warwick, I developed a strong foundation in cybersecurity risk assessment and cyber-physical systems, which has been central to my career. The Information Risk Management module introduced me to structured approaches for identifying threats, evaluating vulnerabilities, and assessing risk. I later developed these skills further through automotive threat analysis, ISO/SAE 21434 risk assessment, and cybersecurity research.
The Cyber-Physical Systems module also helped me understand how digital systems interact with physical processes, including the internal communication networks used in vehicles. Learning about automotive protocols such as CAN, LIN, MOST, and FlexRay sparked my interest in connected vehicle security and encouraged me to specialise further in this field.
These skills directly influenced my decision to pursue a PhD in Automotive Cybersecurity at Coventry University, where I have applied risk assessment, simulation, and AI-based anomaly detection to investigate cyberattacks on connected vehicles. My Warwick education therefore provided both the technical foundation and the career direction for my subsequent research and professional work.
Did you have a specific career path in mind when you chose to study at Warwick?
The broader understanding of each area helped me identify automotive and cyber-physical systems security as the area that most interested me. It shaped my subsequent career decisions and encouraged me to pursue a PhD. Although I did not begin the course with a highly specific career path, Warwick gave me the technical foundation and awareness needed to define one.
What top tips do you have for Warwick graduates who would like to work in your sector?
A Master鈥檚 degree is a valuable opportunity to explore different areas of a subject and begin developing expertise in the field that interests you most. My advice is to work hard, make the most of practical projects and academic support, and always try to give your best in whatever you choose to pursue.
For graduates interested in cybersecurity or automotive cybersecurity, it is important to build strong technical foundations, gain hands-on experience, and continue learning as technologies and threats evolve. Most importantly, choose an area that genuinely interests you, remain consistent, and enjoy the journey. When you are passionate about your work and committed to doing your best, success will naturally follow.
What does a typical day look like for you?
A typical day involves working on vehicle models that have not yet been released to the market. I support the secure provisioning process by flashing cryptographic keys, running diagnostic routines, and validating communication between the vehicle鈥檚 electronic control units and JLR systems.
The process often involves both successful and failed test cases, so a significant part of my role is investigating diagnostic responses, analysing communication issues, and identifying the root cause when key provisioning does not complete correctly. I then work to resolve the issue so that the cryptographic keys can be securely enabled.
This work is critical because a vehicle can only progress beyond the end-of-line production stage once its keys have been successfully provisioned. The vehicle can then connect securely to the JLR backend, allowing additional cybersecurity and connected vehicle features to be activated.