Jobs / Architecture and engineering / 17-2141.02
Automotive Engineers
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.
- US jobs
- 296,810 (SOC 17-2141 group, "Mechanical Engineers")
- Median wage
- $104,110 a year
- Job family
- Architecture and engineering
Can agents do the work of automotive engineers?
We read the evidence for the whole job family, Architecture and engineering: Some tasks (first measured in the last 12 months)
Agents complete 20% or more of the tasks (or projects) on a direct benchmark.
Evidence: HWE-Bench, 79.9% of tasks completed.
Direct evidence that disagrees: Parametric CAD Bench V3, 9% of tasks fully completed (Perfect tasks).
7% of this occupation's work, by O*NET work activities, is measured by a direct benchmark (figures for the SOC 17-2141 group).
- 8%Develop systems or practices to mitigate or resolve environmental problemsNot measured
- 6%Develop technical specifications for products or operationsNot measured
- 5%Evaluate designs, specifications, or other technical dataMeasured
- 5%Research technology designs or applicationsNot measured
- 5%Advise others on business or operational mattersNot measured
- 4%Analyze performance of systems or equipmentNot measured
- 4%Develop models of systems, processes, or productsNot measured
- 3%Design industrial systems or equipmentNot measured
Benchmarks for this occupation
These benchmarks name this occupation in their job mapping.
Direct evidence
Work benchmarks mapped primary to this family. They set the step when they report how many tasks agents complete.
- 61%Claude Opus 5.5 (max) with Claude Code 2.1.280 · 24 Sep 2026Strong
Benchmarks for the job family
These cover work in architecture and engineering, not always this occupation's tasks.
Direct evidence
Work benchmarks mapped primary to this family. They set the step when they report how many tasks agents complete.
Also relevant
These benchmarks cover part of this family's work, or have no result yet. They do not set its step.
- 64.8%Claude Code + Opus 5.5 (max) · 6 Oct 2026Strong
Context only
These benchmarks span many occupations, or they test how agents behave. They give context but do not set the step.
Typical tasks
From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.
- Conduct or direct system-level automotive testing.
- Provide technical direction to other engineers or engineering support personnel.
- Perform failure, variation, or root cause analyses.
- Calibrate vehicle systems, including control algorithms or other software systems.
- Design or analyze automobile systems in areas such as aerodynamics, alternate fuels, ergonomics, hybrid power, brakes, transmissions, steering, calibration, safety, or diagnostics.
- Prepare or present technical or project status reports.
- Conduct research studies to develop new concepts in the field of automotive engineering.
- Establish production or quality control standards.
- Alter or modify designs to obtain specified functional or operational performance.
- Research or implement green automotive technologies involving alternative fuels, electric or hybrid cars, or lighter or more fuel-efficient vehicles.
- Develop calibration methodologies, test methodologies, or tools.
- Create design alternatives for vehicle components, such as camless or dual-clutch engines or alternative air-conditioning systems, to increase fuel efficiency.
Other job titles for this occupation (29)
Dimensional Integration Engineer · Engineer · Product Engineer · Project Engineer · Research Engineer · Automotive Designer · Automotive Engineer · Automotive Power Electronics Engineer · Automotive Project Engineer · Automotive Quality Engineer · Automotive Systems Engineer · Chassis Engineer · Customer Quality Engineer · Design Release Engineer · Design Support Engineer · Engineering Designer · Fuel-Efficient Automobile Designer · Hybrid Powertrain Development Engineer · Low-Emission Automobile Designer · Powertrain Control Systems Engineer · Powertrain Engineer · Quality Assurance Engineer (QA Engineer) · Quality Engineer · Relay Engineer · Solutions Design Engineer · Systems Design Engineer · Transportation Design Engineer · Vehicle Controls Engineer · Wire Harness Design Engineer