Automobile Engineering - Careers, Salary, Jobs, Scope

Why AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING?

Automobile engineering, also called automotive engineering, is considered a part of mechanical engineering. The course trains you in automotive technology, which is then used in your career as an automobile engineer to design, repair and assemble vehicles. You also get to learn quality management and control, assembling and installation, safety engineering and automotive analytics of various vehicles as specializations in this course.

Depending on the university, your study may also include elements of aerospace and marine engineering. Pursuing this course will enable you to explore new technologies related to research and development in the field of automobile design and engineering.

Top colleges offering Automobile Engineering in India–

• Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IITM)
• National Institute of Technology (NIT), Warangal
• Vermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI), Mumbai
• Chandigarh University
• VIT, Vellore

Working hours are typically office hours of 9 AM to 5 PM, Monday to Friday, with a possibility of some extra hours. The early part of the career may require shift work, which might also happen in evenings and weekends. If you’re interested in the motorsport industry, you may need to devote time on weekends and out- of- hours working to support events and reach deadlines.

Working in the motorsport industry also comes with the possibility of overseas travel. Depending on your job profile, you might also be required to commute between the office and factories or plants to conduct outdoor field work during the day.

AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING: Jobs and Career Opportunities

The industry offers many exciting and challenging roles to individuals holding a degree in automobile engineering. They are basically involved in design, development and manufacture of vehicles, creating blueprints for manufacture of new models of vehicles, and maintenance and service in automobile workshops, aircraft industries, aviation, marine vessels and diesel power stations.

Below mentioned are the top job roles offered to automobile engineering graduates-

Design Engineer

Design engineers are included in the initial designing phase of the project, and mitigate any issues pertaining to the design aspects of the execution. The design engineers will need to have a thorough knowledge of design software like Autodesk AutoCAD, and they must also have strong leadership and project management skills.

You have to apply your mathematical skills, technical knowledge and design acumen to come up with innovative solutions to problems in the overall design and functioning of the vehicle and a myriad other issues across a diverse range of fields. You may also be required to write user manuals or technical reports related to the projects you might be working on.

Control and Instrumentation Engineer

They are mainly responsible for designing, constructing and installing systems to monitor and control engineering systems, machinery and/or processes concerned with the functioning of the vehicle. They also test the newly developed or already existing hydraulic or electrical systems for their adherence to specific norms.

You will need to have a thorough understanding of your company’s or client’s needs for instrumentation, and your job is essentially multidisciplinary as it requires you to coordinate with various departments and people within the company.

Automotive Engineer

This area is the one for you if you have a keen sense of commercial awareness. Automotive engineers design and develop vehicles like cars, motorcycles, buses and trucks. It requires skill to build an efficient machine within budget and deadlines, and after you have gained experience, you are likely to specialize in a particular area, such as structural design or exhaust systems. Automotive engineers mainly specialize in design, production, or research and development.

Maintenance Engineer

The task of a maintenance engineer is to ensure all the machinery and processes are running continuously, smoothly and without glitches. They are also required to oversee periodical maintenance and repair using computerized systems.

Maintenance engineers are also occasionally involved in construction and development of systems that are used for maintenance. They collaborate with other professionals to increase efficiency, reduce incidental breakdowns, and to improve the overall production and expenditure of the vehicle.

Mechanical Engineer

A mechanical engineer is entrusted with providing solutions to development of machinery and processes, ranging from the smallest components to the heaviest machinery. They can be involved in any stage of the manufacturing process, from research and development to the final installation and commissioning.

Thermal Design Engineer

Thermal design engineers are involved in the architecture and execution phase of a design, and are responsible for ensuring that the machine remains thermally efficient. They are expected to participate in the designing and implement thermal solutions, and ensure minimal loss of power and wear and tear of the designed product due to heat emission.

They also conduct experiments with various thermal materials, systems and processes to ensure the thermal standards of the product that their company manufactures and prepare detailed reports for the same.

Mechanical Design Engineer
Mechanical design engineers are responsible for analytical evaluation of structural, thermal, fluid flow, vibratory shock design, among others. They are basically associated with the research and development wings of the company, and have to work in close collaboration with other personnel such as electrical engineers to design a working and efficient design of a vehicle or its component, and they are also involved in the execution of the design and troubleshooting for the same.

The other job profiles you can hold are as follows-

• Material Processing Specialist
• Safety Testing Specialist
• Material Purchase Manager
• Quality Control Executive
• Research and Development Engineer
• Automobile Technicians
• Bike Mechanics
• Diesel Mechanics
• Car Mechanics
• Automobile Designer
• Executive and Managerial Positions

AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING: Salary

The average salary of an automobile engineer in India is approximately Rs. 5,10,000 per annum. Engineers skilled in Product Development and Engineering Design usually get a higher pay than others.

The starting salary in this job profile is close to Rs. 4,00,000 per annum. The remuneration for a mid-career automobile engineer is around Rs. 8,00,000 per annum.

AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING: Recruiters

The following companies are the major recruiters for automobile engineers in India-

• Tata Autocomp Systems Ltd.
• Mahindra Engineering
• Minda Autogas Limited
• Tractors And Farm Equipment Limited
• Motherson Automotive Technologies And Engineering
• Honda Siel Car Division
• Escorts Limited Car Division
• Steel Strips Wheels Limited
• Murugappa
• Mico Bosch
• TELCO
• L & T
• Ashok Leyland
• Mahindra & Mahindra
• Heldex India
• Bajaj Auto
• Maruti Suzuki
• Toyota
• Yamaha
• Hyundai
• Hero Moto Corp
• Volkswagen

Specialisations

The specializations being offered for automobile engineering are mentioned below. Please note that all colleges and universities might not offer all of these specializations as choices.

• Engine systems
• Electronics and control systems
• Fuel technology and emissions
• Fluid mechanics
• Aerodynamics
• Thermodynamics
• Rapid prototyping
• Alternative fuels
• Computer-based systems and electronics
• Emissions control
• Vehicle and pedestrian safety or supply chain management

AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING: Syllabus

The various course subjects that will be taught in automobile engineering are given as follows. Please note that the exact combination and specifications of the subjects will differ from university to university.

• Automotive Design and Manufacturing
• CAD/CAM Technology in Automotive Engineering
• Engine Principles
• Engineering Analysis & Numerical Methods
• Fluid Mechanics and Machinery
• Fuel and Emission Control Systems
• Manufacturing Methods
• Modern Vehicle Technology
• Operations Research and Industrial Management
• Service and Management
• Vehicle body engineering and Aerodynamics
• Vehicle Performance and Testing
• Vehicle Technology and Dynamics

Popular Colleges offering AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING

The top colleges for studying automobile engineering in India are mentioned below. For seeking admission, the candidate needs to have studied Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics in +2 level at school. They will also need to clear the JEE exam and any separate entrances to the universities or colleges they want to opt for conducts.

Why should you choose AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING?

There is plenty of scope in the automobile industry, as the automobile sector is always looking for more technologically- advanced, fuel efficient and cost effective vehicles.

The various avenues you can work for are design engineer, where you design the hydraulic and mechanical systems inside a vehicle; development engineer, who is involved in the development and maintenance of all the processes in the manufacture of a vehicle; or as a quality control executive, who works towards improving the efficiency of vehicles.

As per the plan, India’s Automobile Industry will be amongst top 3 in the world. This will eventually generate more than 60 million jobs providing great scope for automobile graduates.