According to people in this career, the main tasks are...
| Task | Importance |
|---|---|
| Conduct or direct system-level automotive testing. | 85% |
| Provide technical direction to other engineers or engineering support personnel. | 84% |
| Perform failure, variation, or root cause analyses. | 83% |
| Calibrate vehicle systems, including control algorithms or other software systems. | 83% |
| Design or analyze automobile systems in areas such as aerodynamics, alternate fuels, ergonomics, hybrid power, brakes, transmissions, steering, calibration, safety, or diagnostics. | 76% |
| Prepare or present technical or project status reports. | 76% |
| Conduct research studies to develop new concepts in the field of automotive engineering. | 75% |
| Establish production or quality control standards. | 75% |
| Alter or modify designs to obtain specified functional or operational performance. | 74% |
| Research or implement green automotive technologies involving alternative fuels, electric or hybrid cars, or lighter or more fuel-efficient vehicles. | 74% |
| Develop calibration methodologies, test methodologies, or tools. | 74% |
| Create design alternatives for vehicle components, such as camless or dual-clutch engines or alternative air-conditioning systems, to increase fuel efficiency. | 74% |
| Develop or implement operating methods or procedures. | 74% |
| Develop engineering specifications or cost estimates for automotive design concepts. | 73% |
| Conduct automotive design reviews. | 72% |
| Design vehicles that use lighter materials, such as aluminum, magnesium alloy, or plastic, to improve fuel efficiency. | 72% |
| Write, review, or maintain engineering documentation. | 72% |
| Develop specifications for vehicles powered by alternative fuels or alternative power methods. | 72% |
| Build models for algorithm or control feature verification testing. | 71% |
| Coordinate production activities with other functional units, such as procurement, maintenance, or quality control. | 71% |
| Design control systems or algorithms for purposes such as automotive energy management, emissions management, or increased operational safety or performance. | 70% |
| Develop or integrate control feature requirements. | 68% |
| Research computerized automotive applications, such as telemetrics, intelligent transportation systems, artificial intelligence, or automatic control. | 65% |
| Read current literature, attend meetings or conferences, or talk with colleagues to stay abreast of new automotive technology or competitive products. | 64% |
| Design vehicles for increased recyclability or use of natural, renewable, or recycled materials in vehicle construction. | 64% |
