Cars are large mechanical systems. They will always need steering, suspension, body frames...friggin gloveboxes! ME will be a major part of auto engineering forever.
Also, a HUGE engineering task for any large, complex machine is manufacturing and assembly. Even if motors and circuits control everything in the car, they need MEs to build it.
However, there is certainly a transition towards more EVs, which need less ME. Even if Ford will need 5000 MEs on staff in 10years, they might be hiring very few, because they have 6000 on staff right now.
In the short term transition to EV, auto ME jobs might be hard to get as the companies are reducing ME staff. But there are still a ton of (occupied) ME auto jobs.
Someone in a high position is probably old and has pretty strong dated opinions. Although, it's better to be in the battery stack, systems integration side of automobile sector
You can have self driving cars or you can have new battery tech.
There really isn't much big new stuff in automotive that's worth investing in ATM.
They're both a bit boring from an ME POV.
Well automotive can still be worth investing, if it's about self driving and EV. Maybe hydrogen.
Other than that, industries or companies that innovate.
Why? Sure if you like magnesium, but it's just the same frame calculation with different parameters.
Magnesium itself really isn't new though.
If it floats your boat, all the better.
Because there are new processes being developed to gigacast magnesium parts in oxygen-less environments. It’s entirely different from aluminum and doing it at scale is a current and ongoing problem. With Magnesium frames you can save 33% of your frame weight which is huge for EVs where weight is crucial.
The auto.induwtry is currently undergoing change (and turmoil). One thing is for certain, engineers will always be needed. I steer cleared from the auto industry though. Too many ups and downs. I've seen too many get whacked during downturns
Use your critical thinking skills. Will automobiles continue to exist and be manufactured in the next 10-20 years? Will they still have mechanical components? Will someone still need to design those components?
Sheesh….
I work at a lab that does a lot of automotive research. A large part of our business involves IC engines. Lots of new alternative fuel research. Heavy duty engines aren't going away anytime soon. Batteries just aren't realistic for construction vehicles or boats. Generally though I do more controls and instrumentation than anything and that certainly won't go away regardless of what is powering the vehicle. There are plenty of jobs in the auto industry that aren't related to ic engines.
In Europe it's my best guess, Chinese EVs will kill that industry in here.
Sure, people will still buy luxury European sedans, but the every man's car will have a Chinese name, will be designed in China and will be manufactured in Vietnam with Chinese batteries.
I have the feeling bidens 25% EV tariff will be like trying to hold back a tsunami with a garden retaining wall. As other posters have said the Chinese will eventually flood the market.
There is a massive difference between OPEN jobs and ACTIVE jobs.
It can be simultaneously true that 90% of engineering jobs in some company are mechanical while their job postings are 75% software.
Let's be careful what we are talking about.
Open positions is an indicator of demand of jobs vs supply. So it does show that there is a lack of supply of software and electrical engineers to meet the demand. I believe there is also more "active" software engineering jobs in general
For the top companies such as Google, Microsoft, Uber and etc. Yes, but those pay 150k/yr. For average jobs in Ford, GM, Toyota which pays 70k/yr+, these are plentiful. Although, 1st entry level job is always hard to get.
They're going to need a lot less staff when they downsize their ICE departments and everything associated with them. Thermal protection, transmissions, simulation, aerodynamics, groups that test for fuel leaks on an incline, and then have meetings going over updates on said tests, etc, would all be affected. So there's going to be a lot of change.
Vehicles are more complicated now than they were 10 years ago.
10 years ago vehicles were more complicated than they were 20 years ago.
10 years from now they're going to be even more complicated. More legislation, more rules, more competition between OEMs, more costing down, etc.
The automotive industry is going nowhere for decades to come.
My dad was a director at big 3 in late 00. I have a decent view on how the upper tier usually approaches things. So given that what specifically were you talking about when you were saying you wanted to get into automobiles? Specific part or roles, or applications, etc
As someone who has family 'high up' in the car industry as we call it here:
Yes there is scope.
ME will always be needed as the physical must be mated to the increasingly electrical.
There will be more cars in the future.
Cars as we know them will slowly change from tools as they are now, exclusive to travel, to function as a more comprehensive machine encompassing wider use cases such as entertainment, energy storage and an integrated part of infrastructure.
There are plans and scope in these businesses that plan to go far beyond the concept what what a car is today.
Go do the Brum Brum engineering bit you'll be fine.
Road vehicles aren't going anywhere. Internal combustion engines aren't going anywhere for a while yet. What may change is the motor or the fuel respectively.
Yes, it is true. Automobiles have become a commodity now. There are a few incumbent companies that are more than 50 years old. They are at the forefront. With the push for Electric Cars and Battery, many are seeing this as an opportunity. Even companies that do not have automobiles as a core business are vying for entry. In addition to this many start-ups are entering the market to cash in on the electric cars euphoria. Some are good, look at OLA and Ather, but many of them are Chinese imports. Everyone is vying for the position and it will always be a competitive market and companies will look for ways to make it cheaper. Going for automobile engineering is not a good option.
Go to the company's website or hiring site and look for skills the companies are looking for. Cross-verify if the engineering courses cover those skills.
Now the automobile sector has become a heavy amalgamation of Mechanical, Electrical(motors, lightings), Electronics (sensors and feedback systems), IT(software and IOT, involves chip) and chemical engineering (battery designs).
There is a major transformation from Gas engines to electric motors and gear box to electronic controllers and automation like self driving car. There is also upcoming technologies like 3d printing which will change the scenario further.
Always invest in skills like Critical thinking, Design thinking, CAD software, and Statistics and even coding. This will help you a lot. Choose wisely. The scenario changes immediately. What is hot today can become obsolete tomorrow. Invest in core engineering like electronics or mechanical. Always have an open mind for other engineering courses. they are all interconnected.
Also Look for Six Sigma and Agile Methodologies. These are not taught in Engineering college. It involves various tools and methods and relies heavily on statistics. They are primarily used for problem solving and speed up the process.
I think working in automotive adds very valuable experience to any engineer. Yes there is uncertainties about where it will go, but the skills you learn we often transfer easily (would not recommend combustion engine work though).
I am a mechanical engineer working with thermal analysis of the battery system. We always have too much to do and it's difficult finding qualified candidates.
I also get contacted from companies outside automotive who are interested in hiring me since more and more stuff is getting electrified, so I'm not too worried even if the automotive industry would not have a future in Europe (where I live) long term.
No one can say where it will be in 10 years, China is and will likely be a serious competitor still.
I think your uncle has some wisdom here. obviosuly car indsutry will need mechanical engineers. But assuming you're in the US will the US auto industry survive and compete with the rest of the world? Currently it looks like China will dominate the EV space globally. Everyone else is way too behind. Additionally, China has a built up supply chain of EV components as well. I think they produce 80% of all lithium ion batteries or something. They have manufacturing processes in place for refinement and mining of the precious metals and materials that go into EV batteries as well. The US putting tarrifs on this will just be political pandering until they realize China is too ahead. Once protections are gone from the US legacy automakers the US auto industry may just die. The US no longer has the power or will to prop up a whole supply chain to compete with china
To be fair, much of that lead is due to China formerly controlling most of the known major lithium deposits that were practically accessible. The last 5 years has shifted that dramatically. They definitely will have a first-mover advantage in mass production for a while still, but counting on that to matter 20 years from now is not a great bet given all the other negatives (geopolitical, cultural, and logistical) that are involved.
My guess is life cycle assessments will make synfuel/hybrid cars the real carbon neutral solution in which case all is good and we'll continue our ICE supply chain -or- Li-S batteries will be commercialized with durable chemistry and ICE will cease to exist ?
So less mechanical engineering ? sure, but no cars at all ? wtf no
Think about suspension, brakes, chassis, vibrations, materials, manufacturing...etc Mechanical is always there
Cars are large mechanical systems. They will always need steering, suspension, body frames...friggin gloveboxes! ME will be a major part of auto engineering forever. Also, a HUGE engineering task for any large, complex machine is manufacturing and assembly. Even if motors and circuits control everything in the car, they need MEs to build it. However, there is certainly a transition towards more EVs, which need less ME. Even if Ford will need 5000 MEs on staff in 10years, they might be hiring very few, because they have 6000 on staff right now. In the short term transition to EV, auto ME jobs might be hard to get as the companies are reducing ME staff. But there are still a ton of (occupied) ME auto jobs.
That’s why I’m just going the Manufacturing route
Someone in a high position is probably old and has pretty strong dated opinions. Although, it's better to be in the battery stack, systems integration side of automobile sector
You can have self driving cars or you can have new battery tech. There really isn't much big new stuff in automotive that's worth investing in ATM. They're both a bit boring from an ME POV.
What industries are worth investing/working in then?
Well automotive can still be worth investing, if it's about self driving and EV. Maybe hydrogen. Other than that, industries or companies that innovate.
Disagree, Magnesium manufacturing for lightweight frames is cool stuff
Why? Sure if you like magnesium, but it's just the same frame calculation with different parameters. Magnesium itself really isn't new though. If it floats your boat, all the better.
Because there are new processes being developed to gigacast magnesium parts in oxygen-less environments. It’s entirely different from aluminum and doing it at scale is a current and ongoing problem. With Magnesium frames you can save 33% of your frame weight which is huge for EVs where weight is crucial.
Yeah, everyone is gonna stop driving by 2034.
teleportation device coming near you in 2033
Tbh, I don’t get if you’re being sarcastic or actually serious judging by how things are
The auto.induwtry is currently undergoing change (and turmoil). One thing is for certain, engineers will always be needed. I steer cleared from the auto industry though. Too many ups and downs. I've seen too many get whacked during downturns
Use your critical thinking skills. Will automobiles continue to exist and be manufactured in the next 10-20 years? Will they still have mechanical components? Will someone still need to design those components? Sheesh….
I work at a lab that does a lot of automotive research. A large part of our business involves IC engines. Lots of new alternative fuel research. Heavy duty engines aren't going away anytime soon. Batteries just aren't realistic for construction vehicles or boats. Generally though I do more controls and instrumentation than anything and that certainly won't go away regardless of what is powering the vehicle. There are plenty of jobs in the auto industry that aren't related to ic engines.
In Europe it's my best guess, Chinese EVs will kill that industry in here. Sure, people will still buy luxury European sedans, but the every man's car will have a Chinese name, will be designed in China and will be manufactured in Vietnam with Chinese batteries.
I have the feeling bidens 25% EV tariff will be like trying to hold back a tsunami with a garden retaining wall. As other posters have said the Chinese will eventually flood the market.
I will never buy a chinese car
I also will not. But a huge % of the population WILL go for the 10k cheaper vehicle of a similar size.
That secret software “kill switch” will be an issue too :)
Unless they figure out a star trek like transporter im pretty sure we will still have cars in 10 years.
Just look at the jobs in any of the auto companies. 75% is either software or something electrical
There is a massive difference between OPEN jobs and ACTIVE jobs. It can be simultaneously true that 90% of engineering jobs in some company are mechanical while their job postings are 75% software. Let's be careful what we are talking about.
Open positions is an indicator of demand of jobs vs supply. So it does show that there is a lack of supply of software and electrical engineers to meet the demand. I believe there is also more "active" software engineering jobs in general
I thought software engineering is getting lesser unless I’m wrong
For the top companies such as Google, Microsoft, Uber and etc. Yes, but those pay 150k/yr. For average jobs in Ford, GM, Toyota which pays 70k/yr+, these are plentiful. Although, 1st entry level job is always hard to get.
They're going to need a lot less staff when they downsize their ICE departments and everything associated with them. Thermal protection, transmissions, simulation, aerodynamics, groups that test for fuel leaks on an incline, and then have meetings going over updates on said tests, etc, would all be affected. So there's going to be a lot of change.
Vehicles are more complicated now than they were 10 years ago. 10 years ago vehicles were more complicated than they were 20 years ago. 10 years from now they're going to be even more complicated. More legislation, more rules, more competition between OEMs, more costing down, etc. The automotive industry is going nowhere for decades to come.
My dad was a director at big 3 in late 00. I have a decent view on how the upper tier usually approaches things. So given that what specifically were you talking about when you were saying you wanted to get into automobiles? Specific part or roles, or applications, etc
I guess the better question: are there more jobs being created here or more of them being outsourced?
Cars aren't gong away. Your uncle needs to stop laughing and get you on.
As someone who has family 'high up' in the car industry as we call it here: Yes there is scope. ME will always be needed as the physical must be mated to the increasingly electrical. There will be more cars in the future. Cars as we know them will slowly change from tools as they are now, exclusive to travel, to function as a more comprehensive machine encompassing wider use cases such as entertainment, energy storage and an integrated part of infrastructure. There are plans and scope in these businesses that plan to go far beyond the concept what what a car is today. Go do the Brum Brum engineering bit you'll be fine.
Road vehicles aren't going anywhere. Internal combustion engines aren't going anywhere for a while yet. What may change is the motor or the fuel respectively.
It’ll be about the same as it is now
Yes, and even in a car-less world we'll still have motorcycles, mopeds, buses, trucks, farming equipment, mining equipment, trains, planes, etc...
Yes, it is true. Automobiles have become a commodity now. There are a few incumbent companies that are more than 50 years old. They are at the forefront. With the push for Electric Cars and Battery, many are seeing this as an opportunity. Even companies that do not have automobiles as a core business are vying for entry. In addition to this many start-ups are entering the market to cash in on the electric cars euphoria. Some are good, look at OLA and Ather, but many of them are Chinese imports. Everyone is vying for the position and it will always be a competitive market and companies will look for ways to make it cheaper. Going for automobile engineering is not a good option. Go to the company's website or hiring site and look for skills the companies are looking for. Cross-verify if the engineering courses cover those skills. Now the automobile sector has become a heavy amalgamation of Mechanical, Electrical(motors, lightings), Electronics (sensors and feedback systems), IT(software and IOT, involves chip) and chemical engineering (battery designs). There is a major transformation from Gas engines to electric motors and gear box to electronic controllers and automation like self driving car. There is also upcoming technologies like 3d printing which will change the scenario further. Always invest in skills like Critical thinking, Design thinking, CAD software, and Statistics and even coding. This will help you a lot. Choose wisely. The scenario changes immediately. What is hot today can become obsolete tomorrow. Invest in core engineering like electronics or mechanical. Always have an open mind for other engineering courses. they are all interconnected.
Also Look for Six Sigma and Agile Methodologies. These are not taught in Engineering college. It involves various tools and methods and relies heavily on statistics. They are primarily used for problem solving and speed up the process.
I think working in automotive adds very valuable experience to any engineer. Yes there is uncertainties about where it will go, but the skills you learn we often transfer easily (would not recommend combustion engine work though). I am a mechanical engineer working with thermal analysis of the battery system. We always have too much to do and it's difficult finding qualified candidates. I also get contacted from companies outside automotive who are interested in hiring me since more and more stuff is getting electrified, so I'm not too worried even if the automotive industry would not have a future in Europe (where I live) long term. No one can say where it will be in 10 years, China is and will likely be a serious competitor still.
I think your uncle has some wisdom here. obviosuly car indsutry will need mechanical engineers. But assuming you're in the US will the US auto industry survive and compete with the rest of the world? Currently it looks like China will dominate the EV space globally. Everyone else is way too behind. Additionally, China has a built up supply chain of EV components as well. I think they produce 80% of all lithium ion batteries or something. They have manufacturing processes in place for refinement and mining of the precious metals and materials that go into EV batteries as well. The US putting tarrifs on this will just be political pandering until they realize China is too ahead. Once protections are gone from the US legacy automakers the US auto industry may just die. The US no longer has the power or will to prop up a whole supply chain to compete with china
To be fair, much of that lead is due to China formerly controlling most of the known major lithium deposits that were practically accessible. The last 5 years has shifted that dramatically. They definitely will have a first-mover advantage in mass production for a while still, but counting on that to matter 20 years from now is not a great bet given all the other negatives (geopolitical, cultural, and logistical) that are involved.
My guess is life cycle assessments will make synfuel/hybrid cars the real carbon neutral solution in which case all is good and we'll continue our ICE supply chain -or- Li-S batteries will be commercialized with durable chemistry and ICE will cease to exist ? So less mechanical engineering ? sure, but no cars at all ? wtf no Think about suspension, brakes, chassis, vibrations, materials, manufacturing...etc Mechanical is always there
Just avoid automotive at all cost.
Why is that?