Hi there! I’m Dr. Min Hua, a Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham. My research focuses on AI-driven energy management, hybrid powertrain control, and intelligent vehicle systems, integrating reinforcement learning and generative AI to accelerate the transition toward sustainable and intelligent mobility.

🎯 Research Interests

• Reinforcement Learning and Large Models:
  Multi-Agent RL; Energy Optimization; Safe & Efficient Control; Foundation Models for Intelligent Vehicles

• Trustworthy & Autonomous Systems:
  Safety-Critical AI; Digital Twin Simulation; AI-driven Vehicle Stability and Control

• Machine Learning for Intelligent Transportation:
  Self-supervised Learning; Model-based & Data-driven Vehicle Estimation; Multi-sensor Fusion

If you are interested in academic collaboration or discussion, please feel free to contact me huam12140 [AT] gmail.com.

🔥 News

• 2025.5: 🎉🎉 I’ve been awarded a PhD at the University of Birmingham.

• 2025.7: 🎉🎉 I’ve been worked as a research fellow at the University of Birmingham.

• 2025.9: Submitted SceDiT: Safety-Critical Scenario Generator based on Diffusion in Transformers to IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems (T-ITS).

• 2025.10: Submitted Cellpose-SAM: Transformer-Based Segmentation for Cellular Instability Analysis of Spherical Hydrogen–Air Premixed Flames to International Journal of Hydrogen Energy.

• 2025.10: Submitted Optimal Energy Management for PHEVs Using a Transformer Decoder-Only Architecture Guided by Dynamic Programming to Applied Energy.
• 2025.11: Submitted BO-NRPPO: A Bayesian Optimization–Tuned PPO Framework for Semi-Active Suspension Control to Advanced Engineering Informatics.
• 2025.12: 🎉🎉 I’ve been awarded Ratcliffe Prize at the University of Birmingham.

📝 Publications

• Communication-Efficient MARL for Platoon Stability and Energy-Efficiency Co-Optimization in Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control of CAVs, Min Hua, D. Chen, K. Jiang, F. Zhang, B. Wang, Q. Zhou, H. Xu, IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology, 74(4):6076–6087, 2025.
• Energy Management of Multi-Mode Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Using Multi-Agent Deep Reinforcement Learning, Min Hua, C. Zhang, F. Zhang, Z. Li, X. Yu, H. Xu, Q. Zhou, Applied Energy, 348:121526, 2023.
• Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning for Connected and Automated Vehicles Control: Recent Advancements and Future Prospects, Min Hua, D. Chen, X. Qi, K. Jiang, Z.E. Liu, Q. Zhou, H. Xu, IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering, 22:16266–16286, 2025. Popular paper
• Efficient Energy Management of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles through Ensemble with In-target Minimization Q-learning, Min Hua et al., IEEE Transactions on Transportation Electrification, 11(5):11570–11581, 2025.
• High Precision Data-Mechanism-Driven Lateral Velocity Estimation Using Transfer Learning in Distributed Vehicles, G. Chen, M. Hua, *IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation & Measurement, 2025.
• Lane Change Trajectory Prediction Considering Driving Style Uncertainty for Autonomous Vehicles, M. Hua* et al., Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, 206:110854, 2024.
• Optimal Energy Management of Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles Through Exploration-to-Exploitation Ratio Control in Ensemble Reinforcement Learning, B. Shuai†, M. Hua†, Y. Li, S. Shuai, H. Xu, Q. Zhou, IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Vehicles, Early Access, 2024. (†Equal contribution)
• A Systematic Survey of Control Techniques and Applications in Connected and Automated Vehicles, W. Liu†, M. Hua†, Z. Deng, Z. Meng, Y. Huang, C. Hu, X. Xia, IEEE Internet of Things Journal, 10(24):21892–21916, 2023. (†Equal contribution)
• Multi-Level Decision Framework Collision Avoidance Algorithm in Emergency Scenarios, M. Hua, G. Chen, X. Wang, *International Journal of Vehicle Design, 95(3–4):155–185, 2024.
• Comprehensive Chassis Control Strategy of FWIC-EV Based on Sliding Mode Control, M. Hua* et al., IET Intelligent Transport Systems, 13(4):703–713, 2019.
• A Hierarchical Energy Efficiency Optimization Control Strategy for Distributed Electric Vehicles, M. Hua* et al., Proc. IMechE, Part D: Journal of Automobile Engineering, 233(3):605–621, 2019.
• Research on Synchronous Control Strategy of Steer-by-Wire System with Dual Steering Actuator Motors, M. Hua* et al., International Journal of Vehicle Autonomous Systems, 15(1):50–76, 2020.

📘 For the complete publication list, please visit my Google Scholar.

🧩 Journal Reviewer

2021 – Present
Reviewer for the following international journals and conferences:

• IET Intelligent Transport Systems (IET Intell. Transp. Syst.)
• Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part D: Journal of Automobile Engineering (Proc. IMechE Part D: J. Automob. Eng.)
• International Journal of Powertrains (Int. J. Powertrains)
• eTransportation (eTransp.)
• IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems (IEEE Trans. Intell. Transp. Syst.)
• IEEE Transactions on Transportation Electrification (IEEE Trans. Transp. Electr.)
• IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Vehicles (IEEE Trans. Intell. Veh.)
• IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology (IEEE Trans. Veh. Technol.)
• IEEE Transactions on Services Computing (IEEE Trans. Serv. Comput.)
• SAE International Journals
• IEEE ITSC 2021, 2022 (Conference reviewer)

🎖 Honors and Awards

• 🥇 Best Paper Award, IEEE ITSC 2024
• 🥇 Best Paper Award, IEEE IV 2024 Workshop
• 🥈 Silver Prize, International “Internet+” Innovation Competition, 2021
• 🎓 University of Birmingham Scholarship (2021–2025)
• 🏅 Outstanding Employee, SAIC Motor Passenger Vehicle Co. (2019)

📖 Educations

• University of Birmingham | Jun. 2021 – May. 2025
  Ph.D. in Engineering, United Kingdom
  Supervisor: Prof. Hongming Xu
  Thesis: Multi-scale Energy Management for Multi-mode Hybrid Vehicles using Reinforcement Learning

• Georgia Institute of Technology | Jan. 2023 – Present
  Online Master of Science in Computer Science (OMSCS), USA
  Core Courses: Deep Learning; AI for Robotics; Reinforcement Learning

• Jilin University | Sep. 2016 – Jun. 2019
  MEng. in Vehicle Engineering (with honors), China
  Advisor: Prof. Changfu Zong
  Thesis: Research on Autonomous Tracking Control of Intelligent Full Drive-by-Wire Electric Vehicle
  🏅 Excellent Graduation Thesis Award

• Wuhan University of Technology | Sep. 2012 – Jun. 2016
  BEng. in Vehicle Engineering (with honors), China
  Advisor: Prof. Miaohua Huang
  Thesis: Design of the Steer-by-Wire Control System for the Caravan

💬 Invited Talks

• 2025.09, Early Career Researcher (ECR) Award Talk at the ABCP 2025 Annual Conference, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.
  Session: Energy Management and AI for Powertrain Systems, Sep 12–13, 2025.
• 2025.11, Speaker at Global Connect of Overseas Chinese Automotive Engineers 2025, Technical Session 2: Automotive Industry Development and Globalization Outlook, Nov 2, 2025.
  📰 Media coverage (China Federation of Industry and Commerce)

💻 Working Experience

• Jan 2021 – Jun 2021 — Planning&Control Algorithm Engineer, Baidu Technology Company – Apollo, Shenzhen, China
• Oct 2020 - Jan 2021 — Research Associate, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
• Aug 2019 – Sep 2020 — System Design Engineer, SAIC Motor Passenger Vehicle Company, Shanghai, China
• Jan 2019 – May 2019 — Algorithm Engineer Intern, Fabu.ai Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, China