Without her, some innovations would have never happened.
Without her, some projects would have never been possible.

"Without Her" is a project (a series) featuring Mitsubishi Electric's very own women engineers, and their commitment to making the world a better place.

Last in this series is a feature on Harshada Deshpande, the Lead Connectivity Engineer, DET Audio Department, R1L at Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America (MEAA). She tells us about bringing safety and care to people all over the world by using technology and shares inspiring words for women engineers.

Solving Problems at the Root Cause as a Team

To consistently deliver the highest quality products to customers –– this would be impossible without a team leader who can smoothly sync communication between customers and the development team with high attention to detail.
"Connected Cars" are becoming a key part of our society and the future. As the leader of the software engineering team that executes infotainment system developments, Harshada plays the essential leadership role.

Connected Cars have features that elevate both the safety and entertainment capacities of the car, such as remote-control functionality, the ability to make automatic calls in emergencies, WiFi hotspot functionality. Even while striving to create the best possible product, working with software and machinery is not always smooth sailing. Harshada says whenever faced with a problem, "locating the root cause to find a solution" is the most important step.
An example of a complication is "the audio quality of in-car phone calls." If there is customer feedback that "the phone calls have low audio quality," Harshada begins by asking "why is this happening?" to gather as much data and logs as possible to analyze, run production tests, determine who the right person on the development team to work with is, and detect the root cause to then find a solution. "It’s all about the safety and security of everyone. I strive to bring the best of comfort and security so that when you leave for work every morning, your loved ones have nothing to worry about, knowing you are on the safest, most technologically advanced vehicle."

Mitsubishi Electric is the Best Platform for Young Engineers

Teamwork is key in efficiently responding to unexpected problems and real-world feedback. Harshada describes herself as "definitely a team player." "I am highly fortunate that my team has highly skilled engineers. Without them, I could not even develop the software."

Harshada brings up that there has been an increase in women engineers. She advises aspiring engineers that it’s never too early to start. "When I was young, there were cell phones, we already had cell phones. Even as a child I was very inquisitive about how a particular machine works. I think interest in engineering and development starts very early on."

When children’s interest in STEM is nurtured, they grow up into future engineers. "Mitsubishi Electric is a great place for young engineers because you are exposed to all of the most current trends and the latest technology."

Please enjoy this video where you can see the diligence with which Harshada led her team, worked to smooth out communication between customers and developers, and the passion she has for the engineering field.
Mitsubishi Electric will continue to give our unwavering support to women in STEM.

(This article was originally published on June 16, 2022)

The content is true and accurate as of the time of publication.Information related to products and services included in this article may differ by country or region.