Automotive Engineers
Architecture and Engineering Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 17-2141.02
Develop new or improved designs for vehicle structural members, engines, transmissions, or other vehicle systems, using computer-assisted design technology. Direct building, modification, or testing of vehicle or components.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
Very high· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.081
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.32
0.09Range of values carried here0.70Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
Task-level exposure
Show 20 hidden tasks25 rated tasks · 24 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (96.0%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- All rated tasks are in the O*NET 31.0 task list.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
| Task (O*NET 20.1) | Claude.aiRaw / share % | APIRaw / share % |
|---|---|---|
Write, review, or maintain engineering documentation.17-2141.02 | 0.017854.8 | 0.010067.6 |
Prepare or present technical or project status reports.17-2141.02 | 0.008927.4 | 0.004832.4 |
Develop calibration methodologies, test methodologies, or tools.17-2141.02 | 0.00257.7 | —0 |
Research or implement green automotive technologies involving alternative fuels, electric or hybrid cars, or lighter or more fuel-efficient vehicles.17-2141.02 | 0.00185.5 | —0 |
Develop or implement operating methods or procedures.17-2141.02 | 0.00154.6 | —0 |
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Prepare or present technical or project status reports.O*NET Task ID 16423 | 1.0 |
Write, review, or maintain engineering documentation.O*NET Task ID 16425 | 1.0 |
Provide technical direction to other engineers or engineering support personnel.O*NET Task ID 16428 | 1.0 |
Develop or integrate control feature requirements.O*NET Task ID 16430 | 1.0 |
Develop calibration methodologies, test methodologies, or tools.O*NET Task ID 16432 | 1.0 |
Calibrate vehicle systems, including control algorithms or other software systems.O*NET Task ID 16434 | 1.0 |
Build models for algorithm or control feature verification testing.O*NET Task ID 16435 | 1.0 |
Design control systems or algorithms for purposes such as automotive energy management, emissions management, or increased operational safety or performance.O*NET Task ID 16439 | 1.0 |
Research computerized automotive applications, such as telemetrics, intelligent transportation systems, artificial intelligence, or automatic control.O*NET Task ID 19637 | 1.0 |
Read current literature, attend meetings or conferences, or talk with colleagues to stay abreast of new automotive technology or competitive products.O*NET Task ID 16421 | 0.5 |
Establish production or quality control standards.O*NET Task ID 16422 | 0.5 |
Develop or implement operating methods or procedures.O*NET Task ID 16424 | 0.5 |
Conduct research studies to develop new concepts in the field of automotive engineering.O*NET Task ID 16426 | 0.5 |
Coordinate production activities with other functional units, such as procurement, maintenance, or quality control.O*NET Task ID 16427 | 0.5 |
Perform failure, variation, or root cause analyses.O*NET Task ID 16429 | 0.5 |
Develop engineering specifications or cost estimates for automotive design concepts.O*NET Task ID 16431 | 0.5 |
Conduct automotive design reviews.O*NET Task ID 16433 | 0.5 |
Alter or modify designs to obtain specified functional or operational performance.O*NET Task ID 16436 | 0.5 |
Design or analyze automobile systems in areas such as aerodynamics, alternate fuels, ergonomics, hybrid power, brakes, transmissions, steering, calibration, safety, or diagnostics.O*NET Task ID 16437 | 0.5 |
Create design alternatives for vehicle components, such as camless or dual-clutch engines or alternative air-conditioning systems, to increase fuel efficiency.O*NET Task ID 19633 | 0.5 |
Design vehicles for increased recyclability or use of natural, renewable, or recycled materials in vehicle construction.O*NET Task ID 19634 | 0.5 |
Design vehicles that use lighter materials, such as aluminum, magnesium alloy, or plastic, to improve fuel efficiency.O*NET Task ID 19635 | 0.5 |
Develop specifications for vehicles powered by alternative fuels or alternative power methods.O*NET Task ID 19636 | 0.5 |
Research or implement green automotive technologies involving alternative fuels, electric or hybrid cars, or lighter or more fuel-efficient vehicles.O*NET Task ID 19638 | 0.5 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Anthropic Economic Index, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (25)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Read current literature, attend meetings or conferences, or talk with colleagues to stay abreast of new automotive technology or competitive products. | Core |
| Establish production or quality control standards. | Core |
| Prepare or present technical or project status reports. | Core |
| Develop or implement operating methods or procedures. | Core |
| Write, review, or maintain engineering documentation. | Core |
| Conduct research studies to develop new concepts in the field of automotive engineering. | Core |
| Coordinate production activities with other functional units, such as procurement, maintenance, or quality control. | Core |
| Provide technical direction to other engineers or engineering support personnel. | Core |
| Perform failure, variation, or root cause analyses. | Core |
| Develop or integrate control feature requirements. | Core |
| Develop engineering specifications or cost estimates for automotive design concepts. | Core |
| Develop calibration methodologies, test methodologies, or tools. | Core |
| Conduct automotive design reviews. | Core |
| Calibrate vehicle systems, including control algorithms or other software systems. | Core |
| Build models for algorithm or control feature verification testing. | Core |
| Alter or modify designs to obtain specified functional or operational performance. | Core |
| Design or analyze automobile systems in areas such as aerodynamics, alternate fuels, ergonomics, hybrid power, brakes, transmissions, steering, calibration, safety, or diagnostics. | Core |
| Conduct or direct system-level automotive testing. | Core |
| Design control systems or algorithms for purposes such as automotive energy management, emissions management, or increased operational safety or performance. | Core |
| Create design alternatives for vehicle components, such as camless or dual-clutch engines or alternative air-conditioning systems, to increase fuel efficiency. | Core |
| Design vehicles for increased recyclability or use of natural, renewable, or recycled materials in vehicle construction. | Core |
| Design vehicles that use lighter materials, such as aluminum, magnesium alloy, or plastic, to improve fuel efficiency. | Core |
| Develop specifications for vehicles powered by alternative fuels or alternative power methods. | Core |
| Research computerized automotive applications, such as telemetrics, intelligent transportation systems, artificial intelligence, or automatic control. | Core |
| Research or implement green automotive technologies involving alternative fuels, electric or hybrid cars, or lighter or more fuel-efficient vehicles. | Core |
0.00/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
None of this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks is classified as a physical task.
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
Values for the whole SOC 17-2141 group (Mechanical engineers), not for this O*NET occupation alone.
- Employment, 2025
- 299K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 332K
- Change (2025–35)
- +11.2%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $104,110
- Typical education needed for entry
- Bachelor's degree
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23516 | 자동차공학 기술자 및 연구원 | Same scope | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 2144Mechanical Engineers
The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.
Mechanical engineers conduct research; advise on, design and direct production of machines, aircraft, ships, machinery and industrial plant, equipment and systems; advise on and direct their functioning, maintenance and repair; or study and advise on mechanical aspects of particular materials, products or processes.
Tasks
- (a) advising on and designing machinery and tools for manufacturing, mining, construction, agricultural, and other industrial purposes;
- (b) advising on and designing steam, internal combustion and other non-electric motors and engines used for propulsion of railway locomotives, road vehicles or aircraft, or for driving industrial or other machinery;
- (c) advising on and designing: hulls, superstructures and propulsion systems of ships; mechanical plant and equipment for the release, control and utilization of energy; heating, ventilation and refrigeration systems, steering gear, pumps and other mechanical equipment;
- (d) advising on and designing airframes, undercarriages and other equipment for aircraft as well as suspension systems, brakes, vehicle bodies and other components of road vehicles;
- (e) advising on and designing non-electrical parts of apparatus or products such as word processors, computers, precision instruments, cameras and projectors;
- (f) establishing control standards and procedures to ensure efficient functioning and safety of machines, machinery, tools, motors, engines, industrial plant, equipment, or systems;
- (g) ensuring that equipment, operation and maintenance comply with design specifications and safety standards.
Example occupations
Aeronautical engineer · Engine designer · Marine architect · Marine engineer · Mechanical engineer
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- automotive engineerESCO 2144.1.3Same scope
Automotive engineers design and oversee the manufacturing process and operation of motor vehicles such as motorcycles, cars, trucks, buses and their respective engineering systems. They design new vehicles or mechanical parts, supervise modifications and resolve technical problems. They make sure the designs comply with cost specifications and other constraints. They also conduct research studying environmental, energy and safety aspects.
- aerodynamics engineerESCO 2144.1.1.1Overlapping, not the same
Aerodynamics engineers perform aerodynamics analysis to make sure the designs of transport equipment meet aerodynamics and performance requirements. They contribute to designing engine and engine components, and issue technical reports for the engineering staff and customers. They coordinate with other engineering departments to check that designs perform as specified. Aerodynamics engineers conduct research to assess adaptability of equipment and materials. They also analyse proposals to evaluate production time and feasibility.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| H1206 | Ingénieur / Ingénieure R&D en industrie | This occupation is narrower |
| H1238 | Chef / Cheffe de projet conception industrielle en mécanique | Related, not a match |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 2433 | Ingenieros mecánicos | This occupation is narrower |
| 2463 | Ingenieros técnicos mecánicos | Related, not a match |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 25214 | Berufe in der Kraftfahrzeugtechnik - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | This occupation is narrower |
| 25254 | Berufe in der Zweiradtechnik - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 26334 | Berufe in der Luftverkehrs-, Schiffs- und Fahrzeugelektronik - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 074 | 自動車技術者（開発） | Same scope |
| 073 | 機械技術者（開発） | Related, not a match |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources