Hello my name is Mark Basten and I live in Halesowen in the West Midlands (UK).

I have a happy family with my wife (Ruth) and our three children Jon, Beckie and Andy.

I am an electronics engineer by training and have a BSc. (Hons.) degree in electrical and electronic engineering from the Coventry Polytechnic in 1985. I was trained by what was then GEC Telecommunications but after moved to the Lucas Research Centre in 1986. I have worked at the same site (now TRW automotive) until the present day developing the latest in automotive technology. For a greater part of that time I have been involved in the development of a radar based cruise control product called Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). I am a Fellow of the IET (Institute of Engineering and Technology (Formerly the IEE)).

Click here for my CV

The ACC Project involves the fitment of a micro-wave radar to a vehicle. The radar can see the road ahead and monitors the lane in which the vehicle is being driven for any impeding vehicles. If a slower vehicle is detected then the ACC system will automatically decelerate the ACC vehicle using commands over a CAN bus until it is following at a comfortable distance.

This picture illustrates a truck which has been fitted out with one of our radar sensors. You can see the radar which is fitted below the main grill and just slightly to the right of the centre line of the truck.

During Sept 2006 with the advent of the new IEE regulations - I completed the City and Guilds course level 3 in Electrical Installations in accordance with BS 7671.