In the spotlight: Garrett Torgerson
Garrett Torgerson is the Supervising Air Quality Engineer of the Engineering and Research Branch at the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR). He began his journey into automotive technology by tinkering on cars with his high school friends. This led to him to pursue an engineering degree in college and launched a diverse career in the automotive technology industry. Nowadays, Garrett prefers leaving the car repairs to others and commuting to work by bicycle. We recently sat down with him to learn more about his work and vision for BAR engineering projects.
What kind of education or training did you pursue for your career?
I attended GMI (formerly known as the General Motors Institute and now called Kettering University). It is a small engineering school in Flint, Michigan. The school is known for its unique co-op learning model where students alternate between the classroom and a workplace the entire time they are in school. My co-op rotation was with the Chevrolet Motor Division. When I graduated, I was offered a job as a valvetrain development engineer with GM Motorsports Technology Group. I worked on the Buick Indy Racing program along with the NASCAR Winston Cup program for the Chevrolet brand. Looking back, it was an exciting and intense time in my career, and I gained invaluable experience.
How did you go from motorsports to BAR?
Although I loved the motorsports job, I missed California and decided to return. I took an engineering design position with a small firm. At the same time, I was on the California Air Resources Board’s employment list, which is how I was contacted by BAR for an interview. Despite my youthful indiscretions behind the wheel and my love for motorsports and NHRA drag racing, I am an environmentalist at heart. I know, it’s a bit of a contradiction, but I appreciate BAR’s mission to improve air quality and protect consumers. With my work at BAR, I feel like I’m making a positive impact.
What are some of the projects you have worked on that have advanced BAR’s mission?
The effectiveness of the Smog Check Program is core to achieving BAR’s clean air mission. While the credit for advancing BAR’s mission goes to the whole engineering and research team, I am proud to have contributed to the BAR-97 certification, program evaluation, the development of DAD and DAD 2.0 specifications, and fraud detection support.
Without revealing all your methods, can you share how your team combats Smog Check fraud?
The first step in combatting fraud is understanding how the system works—how inspections are performed and how the vehicles interact with the Smog Check inspection equipment. Once you have that knowledge, you start to think about how someone might try to game or cheat the inspection, if they were so inclined. This is where knowledge of analytical tools is critical for processing the data and detecting unusual trends. It is a constant game of cat and mouse due to the rapid evolution of technology. However, we have had some notable successes due to the hard work of staff within BAR’s technology services, engineering, and enforcement branches.
What is your vision for BAR’s Engineering and Research Branch and what steps do you want to take to achieve that vision?
My focus is on anticipating future trends in government, the industry, and automotive technology. That involves listening to stakeholders such as the California Air Resources Board, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Society of Automotive Engineers. Most important is listening to and collaborating with those right around me, whether it is the engineering team, executive team, or in other people in BAR with whom I’m fortunate to work with.
Developing tools and processes for identifying fraudulent inspections is a big part of what we do. The DAD 2.0 project is a huge undertaking, necessary for fraud detection but also for communicating with the new generation of vehicles rolling out. Of course, all this requires engineers, so we must constantly recruit talented and passionate engineers and support staff. It is really the people that drive our success and help us achieve our goals.
What advice would you give to someone interested in the automotive industry, whether it is design, engineering, repair, or other?
Follow your passion and have fun in what you do. Be curious and get your hands dirty. Building car engines in high school and the knowledge I gained from that helped me land my job with GM Motorsports and then with BAR. Whenever possible, seek out internship and apprenticeship opportunities. With the rapid advancement in technology, the automotive industry offers a wide range of opportunities in engineering, design, repair, and transportation infrastructure.
What was your first car?
My first car was a 1967 Mustang. Had I known more about cars when I bought it, I might not have chosen that particular one. It was in rough shape when I started repairing and restoring it, but it was a great experience and it taught me a great deal.
Do you have a favorite quote or saying?
On my first day at Chevy Motorsports, the chief engineer sat me down and told me, “Garrett, we all make mistakes, and you will too. That’s okay, because if you aren’t making some mistakes, you’re playing it too safe. It is important to learn from your mistakes.” I’ve tried to incorporate this philosophy at BAR because a fear of making mistakes can stifle growth and innovation.
Garrett Torgerson with Roberto Guerrero after he won the pole at the 1992 Indy 500.