Combining Engineering with a Love of Cars

Students who enjoy working with vehicles and computers, and who are looking for a great career might want to consider automotive engineering. Those working in this area will be working to design cars and their parts. They will also look at issues that involve product quality and will learn how to build cars more effectively. Most careers in this area require at least a master's degree and many require a doctor's degree.

Jobs in this area tend to be very specialized. They are divided into four major areas: product engineering, development engineering, aerodynamic engineering and body engineering. Students will need to pick their area of specialty at the initial stage, so that they can take courses related to their interest.

A large number of people employed in this area are employed with car companies as product engineers. Jobs are highly specialized. One of those specialties is the job of a safety engineer. These people study crash scenes and help write the rules for the government. They understand how safety devices in the vehicles such as seat belts and air bags work. Another area of specialty is designing more fuel efficient vehicles. People who work in this area also work with designing alternative fuel vehicles such as electrical cars and propane cars. Some in this area work to make quieter vehicles while others work to make vehicles handle better. Some others work to try to improve how long a vehicle will last. Students in this area need a strong understanding of electrical systems and safety issues.

The second largest number of people employed in this field is employed as development engineers. While the safety engineer may spend his or her career working on a particular vehicle problem, the development engineer will look at the larger picture of getting all the parts to work together. They will prioritize the ideas of the product engineers for the individual vehicle. The product engineer will also test the new vehicles to make sure that everything works well together. Students in this area will need a strong understanding of factory efficiency.

The third largest number of people employed in this field is employed as aerodynamic engineers. This group makes decisions on the shapes and colors of the vehicles. Students in this area will need to combine their aesthetic perspective with their engineering knowledge.

The smallest group is employed as body engineers. These engineers work closely with aerodynamic engineers and decide the feasibility of the designs the aerodynamic engineers create. Students in this area will need to understand safety, factory efficiency, art and basic engineering concepts.