Automotive Company Interview Questions Embedded Hardware Engineer

If you have read my earlier interview blogs, you would realise that I hate giving telephonic interviews. However, this is a good screening method for companies and I had to attend this one as a part of formality.

This company HR lady said that the job was for Project Lead in a big multinational company. So, I was excited to attend the interview. But, I did not know what the role of a Project Lead is. Doing some Google search I found that Project Lead is some what similar to Project Manager in terms of designation, however, the roles are entirely different.

Project Manager's focus is on financial aspect and other non-technical aspect. Project Lead would focus on technical aspects and maintain smooth product development by constantly interacting with client and the production team. So, this was a chance to enter into management stream. So, I though I will give it a try.

So, I agreed to attend the telephonic interview. But, the same story continued. I waited for 15mins outside the campus and got bored. Call came while I was returning back and following is the log of conversation :

Interviewer: " Hello Bhimsen - this is so and so from xyz company"
Me: " Hello so and so"

Interviewer: " Bhimsen, can you please tell me about yourself"
Me: I am well aware of this question so, I answered from my engineering to current job position, highlighting all my achievement and my progress and my strong points.

Based on my answer Interviewer asked

Interviewer: " Are you a hardware or software engineer?"
Me: " More of a hardware engineer now learning software/firmware"

Interviewer" : "How do you rate yourself in C?"
Me: " 6 out of 10"

Interview then explained me the position and responsibilities which were to support development of a some module for local company. And the job was entirely hardware related.

So, I was not quite sure, if I wanted to continue in the pure hardware stream. So, I told him that my interest is not to work in the area where there is no software or firmware associated with.
Apart from this, supporting a local manufacturer is not so interesting for me.

However, the Interviewer wanted to continue with the technical round. I was ok with it and following were the questions he asked:

1) Analog to Digital Convert:
What are the different principles of operation
What are the significant parameters to be considered while using A/D
What is the difference between precision and resolution
What will be the maximum number of clock cycles needed to convert a voltage.
Explain the detailed operation of successive approximation A/D converter
Where do we use A/D converter?


2) Basic Electronics
Differences between JFET and BiPolar Transistor
Advantages of JFET vs BiPolar Transistor

3) SPI Communiction
How many wire communication is SPI?
What is maximum Baud Rate that SPI can support

4) Digital Electronics
Do you know flip flops?
JK flip flops, RS flip flops etc

5) Opamps
Have you used comparators?
What is Hysteresis?
How is Hysteresis useful?

I have to recall....as soon as I remember I will post it...