Registered Professional Engineer in the States of Michigan and California. He has over 43 years experience in design & development in the automotive industry in addition to having provided accident reconstruction and failure analysis and research in mechanical and electrical products for vehicles for many of those years. He has testified in over 90 trials, 140 depositions and 125 arbitrations. Mr. Lacaze was on the ?ground floor? through the early development of the Air Bag Occupant Restraint System and holds the patent for a crash sensor system that is in many cars today. Along with the air bag development, Mr. Lacaze performed accident reconstruction involving barrier and car-to-car crash testing in order to maximize protection for occupants. He therefore developed a keen sense of occupant kinematics and vehicle structural integrity in addition to being involved in continuing research methods and accident investigation for more than 30 years.
Background
Q: Please list your professional accreditations, degrees, licenses, and certificates granted:A: Professional Engineer, California (M29647)
Professional Engineer, Michigan (20196)
Master of Science, Engineering Management - University of LaVerne (1980)
Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering - University of Texas at Arlington - (1965)
Patents:
Automotive Air Bag Crash Sensor Systems, U.S. Patent No. 3,848,695
Low Insertion Force Electrical Contacts, U.S. Patent No. 4,293,181
Method of Manufacture of Electrical Contacts, U.S. Patent No. 4,345,373
Coupling Mechanism for Electrical Connectors, U.S. Patent No. 4,239,315
Q: Please list your affiliations or memberships in any professional and/or industry organizations:
A: Society of Automotive Engineers - Member
Society of Automotive Engineers, Safety Publications Committee - Member 1971-1975
American Society of Mechanical Engineers - Member
Private Pilot - Instrument Rated - Airplane, Complex, High Performance, Glider Ratings and Endorsements
Q: Please list any teaching or speaking experience you have had, including subject matter:
A: Publications:
"Mechanism of Contact Resistence" ITT Cannon Electric Conference - 1982
"Low Insertion Force (Electrical Connectors) for New Avionics: (Co-author) Eleventh Annual Connector Symposium Proceedings - October 1978
"Development of the Crash Sensor to Vehicle Interface" (Contributor) Society of Automotive Engineers - May 1972
