Jeep Gladiator Modular Roof System
Role: Mechanical Design Engineer | Skunkworks concept development at Stellantis
While working as a release engineer on the production hard top system for the Jeep Gladiator, I joined a small cross-functional team tasked with exploring a new concept: a modular hard top that could be disassembled and reconfigured to serve as a tonneau cover in the truck bed. Our six person group, made up of engineers, product planners, and model shop technicians, operated outside the standard development process, taking a scrappy and resourceful approach to bring this idea to life.
Over the course of several months, we worked off hours and outside our core responsibilities to develop a working proof of concept. We sourced spare parts from the scrap pile, tested ideas in the basement of the Chrysler Tech Center, and built a fully functional prototype that allowed Gladiator owners to remove the roof in multiple panels and mount them directly to the bed of the truck. The vision was simple: hit the highway with your roof on, convert to open air for a weekend adventure, and reinstall the roof for the ride home, all without the need for tools.
My role focused on designing the unique bed-mounted interface system. Drawing from my knowledge of the production roof’s geometry and mounting points, I developed a series of removable metal brackets that mimicked the vehicle’s interior hard top anchors. The design minimized intrusion into the truck bed when not in use and incorporated hinges and gas struts to enable tool-free reattachment. This ensured that the entire system was both rugged and intuitive, aligning with the Jeep brand’s values of freedom, flexibility, and adventure.
We presented our working prototype to a room of senior executives, including the CEO, COO, and chief design officer. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and five utility patents were awarded based on the system we developed. Our work inspired a broader initiative within Stellantis that encouraged other internal teams to explore and pitch new product concepts.
Patents: 12,065,024 B2, 12,011,977 B2, 11,584,206 B2, 11,433,749 B2, 11,420,687 B2
