By Laryssa Hulcio and Stephen Harber, Talent Marketing
By Laryssa Hulcio and Stephen Harber, GM talent marketing
A mix of curiosity and creativity set Ben Beacock on a path from student-built race cars to groundbreaking simulation work at GM Canada. Now a technical specialist for simulation, he’s helping shape the future of vehicle development through innovation, mentorship, and hands-on expertise.
Driven by a desire to help others and build what’s next, Ben’s story reminds us that engineering isn’t just about solving problems: it’s about imagining what’s possible and making it real. Learn more about Ben and his journey in the Q&A below.
How did your road to GM begin?
It started back in 2003. While completing my undergrad at the University of Guelph [in Ontario] I helped form their first Formula SAE team - a student design competition from the trade group formally known as Society of Automotive Engineers. During our first year, we built our inaugural car. After graduating, I stayed to serve as the team’s technical lead while starting my master’s degree.
For our second vehicle, we made a bold move: we built it with all-wheel drive — something rarely done in that competition. The car performed surprisingly well.
That’s when you met an important contact.
Yes. Tri Gaffney, a virtual performance integration manager who works on Corvettes. He was volunteering at the event and working at GM on all-wheel drive systems, noticed our design and reached out. He gave me a tour of GM afterwards. There was a hiring freeze at the time, but we stayed in touch.
Caption: GM's Ben Beacock competes in a weekly virtual racing league.
When did you officially join GM?
In 2008, I joined a small controls group in Oshawa, Ontario. We handled chassis-side control systems — a suite of technologies that improve vehicle stability, handling and traction. From there, my scope grew: I worked on diagnostic systems for the C7 Corvette, wheel hub motor projects, semi-active damping, and more. I was also mentoring the University of Waterloo’s EcoCar team.
Later, I joined Pratt Miller Motorsports and gained deep race team experience. Ironically, I was contracted back to GM during that time to work on the C8 Corvette, focusing on lap time simulation and performance analysis.
In 2021, I returned to GM full-time, focusing on production software simulation in a PC environment.
What excites you about working in the auto industry?
The ability to see your work make it into production quickly. Unlike aerospace, where design cycles can take 15 years, automotive projects move fast. It’s exciting to see your contributions show up on vehicles in the real world — and in the media.
It’s also very hands-on. I like being close to the product. I want to interact with what I helped build. Automotive projects strike a great balance: complex and meaningful, but still tangible.
What’s your biggest accomplishment at GM?
One of my current projects accelerates how we generate simulation environments. We’re creating virtual versions of vehicle controllers in real time. Every time we generate a new build for a physical controller, we can instantly build the virtual version as well.
That gets integrated into nightly simulation runs, helping us detect problems early, before they ever reach the vehicle.
What are your goals for the next few years?
I want to become an enterprise leader in simulation — not just within production software, but across the broader system. I’m connecting with advanced driver assistance systems and vehicle simulation teams to unify our approach.
I’m on an individual contributor career path, aiming to become a Technical Fellow.
How’s your work-life balance?
I have more hobbies than time. One example: I’ve heavily modified my old Volkswagen into a mid-engine, plug-in hybrid. It always needs attention, but that gives me a technical outlet beyond work. It helps me reset.
What are the biggest challenges you face?
I can’t be everywhere at once. I get asked to jump in often, but I’ve learned to shift from solving every problem to empowering others. Delegation and mentorship are key — helping others grow while keeping things moving.
Caption: Ben Beacock, technical specialist in simulation at GM
How does GM stay ahead in innovation?
By pushing for interoperability and industry standards. One of my roles is ensuring that GM’s simulations work across tools and platforms. The more systems that can use our models, the better. We work with vendors to support these standards. That collaboration lifts the entire industry.
What role will GM play in the future of mobility?
We’re helping lead the shift toward automation. There are challenges — especially with infrastructure and public adoption — but we’re building the capability now so we’re ready when the world is. Automation enhances safety, and that’s a responsibility we take seriously.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I’ve always been open to learning across domains — hardware, software, fabrication, and more. While specialization is valuable, there’s strength in being a generalist too. That breadth helps me connect across teams, spot opportunities, and build better solutions together.
Thanks, Ben.
Laryssa Hulcio is a PR and social media professional leading recruitment and employer branding at GM. Stephen Harber is a content strategist and writer with GM’s talent marketing team. Comments and questions: news@gm.com.
A mix of curiosity and creativity set Ben Beacock on a path from student-built race cars to groundbreaking simulation work at GM Canada. Now a technical specialist for simulation, he’s helping shape the future of vehicle development through innovation, mentorship, and hands-on expertise.
Driven by a desire to help others and build what’s next, Ben’s story reminds us that engineering isn’t just about solving problems: it’s about imagining what’s possible and making it real. Learn more about Ben and his journey in the Q&A below.
How did your road to GM begin?
It started back in 2003. While completing my undergrad at the University of Guelph [in Ontario] I helped form their first Formula SAE team - a student design competition from the trade group formally known as Society of Automotive Engineers. During our first year, we built our inaugural car. After graduating, I stayed to serve as the team’s technical lead while starting my master’s degree.
For our second vehicle, we made a bold move: we built it with all-wheel drive — something rarely done in that competition. The car performed surprisingly well.
That’s when you met an important contact.
Yes. Tri Gaffney, a virtual performance integration manager who works on Corvettes. He was volunteering at the event and working at GM on all-wheel drive systems, noticed our design and reached out. He gave me a tour of GM afterwards. There was a hiring freeze at the time, but we stayed in touch.
When did you officially join GM?
In 2008, I joined a small controls group in Oshawa, Ontario. We handled chassis-side control systems — a suite of technologies that improve vehicle stability, handling and traction. From there, my scope grew: I worked on diagnostic systems for the C7 Corvette, wheel hub motor projects, semi-active damping, and more. I was also mentoring the University of Waterloo’s EcoCar team.
Later, I joined Pratt Miller Motorsports and gained deep race team experience. Ironically, I was contracted back to GM during that time to work on the C8 Corvette, focusing on lap time simulation and performance analysis.
In 2021, I returned to GM full-time, focusing on production software simulation in a PC environment.
What excites you about working in the auto industry?
The ability to see your work make it into production quickly. Unlike aerospace, where design cycles can take 15 years, automotive projects move fast. It’s exciting to see your contributions show up on vehicles in the real world — and in the media.
It’s also very hands-on. I like being close to the product. I want to interact with what I helped build. Automotive projects strike a great balance: complex and meaningful, but still tangible.
What’s your biggest accomplishment at GM?
One of my current projects accelerates how we generate simulation environments. We’re creating virtual versions of vehicle controllers in real time. Every time we generate a new build for a physical controller, we can instantly build the virtual version as well.
That gets integrated into nightly simulation runs, helping us detect problems early, before they ever reach the vehicle.
What are your goals for the next few years?
I want to become an enterprise leader in simulation — not just within production software, but across the broader system. I’m connecting with advanced driver assistance systems and vehicle simulation teams to unify our approach.
I’m on an individual contributor career path, aiming to become a Technical Fellow.
How’s your work-life balance?
I have more hobbies than time. One example: I’ve heavily modified my old Volkswagen into a mid-engine, plug-in hybrid. It always needs attention, but that gives me a technical outlet beyond work. It helps me reset.
What are the biggest challenges you face?
I can’t be everywhere at once. I get asked to jump in often, but I’ve learned to shift from solving every problem to empowering others. Delegation and mentorship are key — helping others grow while keeping things moving.
How does GM stay ahead in innovation?
By pushing for interoperability and industry standards. One of my roles is ensuring that GM’s simulations work across tools and platforms. The more systems that can use our models, the better. We work with vendors to support these standards. That collaboration lifts the entire industry.
What role will GM play in the future of mobility?
We’re helping lead the shift toward automation. There are challenges — especially with infrastructure and public adoption — but we’re building the capability now so we’re ready when the world is. Automation enhances safety, and that’s a responsibility we take seriously.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I’ve always been open to learning across domains — hardware, software, fabrication, and more. While specialization is valuable, there’s strength in being a generalist too. That breadth helps me connect across teams, spot opportunities, and build better solutions together.
Thanks, Ben.
Laryssa Hulcio is a PR and social media professional leading recruitment and employer branding at GM. Stephen Harber is a content strategist and writer with GM’s talent marketing team. Comments and questions: news@gm.com.