Shelly Chaka leads GM’s Safety Assurance for Effective Autonomous Digital Driving Software (SAFE-ADDS) in the Global Product Safety, Systems and Certification organization. Known for delivering major safety initiatives and innovative programs for autonomous vehicle tech companies including Cruise, Torc Robotics, and Locomation, Shelly and her team are charged with championing and centralizing GM’s Autonomous Vehicle Safety Case, including safety metrics for evaluating system performance and driving continuous improvement.   

During her 30-year career in various safety engineering and leadership positions, Shelly garnered a wealth of experience in areas of automated driving systems and connected technologies, occupant protection, human factors, regulatory compliance, system engineering and validation. She has a solid engineering, product development, and research foundation spending a significant amount of her career at Ford Motor Company and Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. She has a proven track record of major deliverables such as the creation of the Automated Mobility Partnership (AMP) bringing together numerous companies, leading program attribute leaders for multiple vehicle launches achieving NCAP 5-star and IIHS Top Safety Pick ratings, and cutting-edge research sponsored by US DOT, most notably “A framework for Automated Driving System Testable Cases” and “Removing Regulatory Barrier for Vehicles with Automated Driving Systems”. 

Shelly thrives in collaboration efforts that advance transportation safety for all road users and is committed to fostering a culture where real-world safety is valued as part of the success formula. It was this leadership and technical contribution to transportation safety that earned her the SAE International 2021 “J. Cordell Breed Award for Women Leaders.” 

Shelly holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan State University and an MS in Automotive Engineering from the University of Michigan.