Automotive Students Get Up-Close Look at Ferrari Technology

When a Ferrari pulls into class, you pay attention.

CSN’s Automotive Technology program brought in a real-world lesson this week when PT instructor Jeff Brown drove a Ferrari 296 onto campus for a hands-on demonstration. The visit gave students a close look at how modern diagnostic tools and scan technology apply to high-performance hybrid vehicles.

The 296 is a 400-volt hybrid, putting it squarely in the category of advanced electric and hybrid systems that today’s automotive technicians need to understand. Brown used the car to walk students through the kind of technology they’ll encounter in the field, from hybrid architecture to the diagnostic equipment used to service it.

The demonstration was made possible with support from Towbin, a Las Vegas-area automotive group, and reflected the kind of industry connections CSN’s Applied Technologies department works to build for its students.

James Bull, department chair of Applied Technologies and an automotive instructor himself, said the experience was exactly the kind of real-world exposure the program aims to provide.

CSN’s Automotive Technology program prepares students for careers in a rapidly evolving industry, where electric and hybrid vehicles are becoming the norm rather than the exception.