Cleared JEE and now wondering which specialization to choose? Cracking JEE 2022 is not the end of the journey; it’s the beginning of the journey and the next step after cracking JEE Advanced 2022 is to decide which specialization to choose?
For those who are interested not only in driving vehicles but also in designing them, automotive engineering is the right field. It is a type of vehicle engineering that deals with the manufacturing, designing, and operation of automobiles, motorcycles, and trucks. Automobile engineering is a field that also draws inspiration from other branches of engineering including electronics, electrical, mechanical, software, and safety engineering.
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Top fields of Engineering & their application
Career as an Automotive Engineer
An automotive engineer may work for a car manufacturer or an original equipment manufacturer. You’ll need to have a clean hand in designing since CAD software is used extensively in this industry. For example, when testing new technology, a strong understanding of vehicle construction is important. You’ll get to work in an office as well as on the field. In India, the average starting salary of an automotive engineer is Rs 5,87,172 per year (approx).
Difference between automotive and automobile engineering
This is an area where people are susceptible to getting confused. The simple difference between the two is:
Automotive engineering deals with the construction and design of vehicles on the road while automobile engineering deals with the construction and design of cars.
Books to begin with
If you want to make headway with your interest in this field and explore it on your own first, below are a few books that will help you to do just that:
- Automotive mechanics by William Crouse and Donald Anglin
- Automobile Engineering Vol. 1 and 2 by Kirpal Singh
- Understanding Automotive Electronics by William B. Ribbens
- Automotive electrical and electronic systems by Tom Denton
- Race Car Vehicle Dynamics by Milliken and Milliken
Curriculum subjects
Once you take it up as your field post-high-school, you’ll be studying the following topics:
- Off-road vehicles
- Vehicle dynamics
- Automotive design engines
- Engineering thermodynamics
- Strength of materials
- Alternate fuels and energy systems
- Industrial engineering
- Automotive chassis
- Automotive pollution and control
With the current focus on sustainable solutions in every domain, there is a lot of ongoing research related to the production of fuel-efficient motor vehicles. There is also the option of branching out to design self-driving cars which are in vogue right now due to Google’s (and Elon Musk’s) interest in the same.
Any IIT offering these subjects would qualify as a top institute for a B.Tech in automotive engineering. Apart from IITs, based on your JEE Score, you can also go to Madras Institute of Technology, Chennai, or SRM University, Chennai.
For a master, you can specialize in a particular area like fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, supply chain management, engine systems, electronics and control systems, etc.
If research/ post-graduation is not in your cards and you want some hands-on experience, you can work with vehicle manufacturers, tire manufacturers, specialist vehicle design companies, oil/ fuel companies, or motorsports companies. Some of the top companies for automotive engineers are Tesla, General Motors, Ford, Toyota, McLaren, and any other car brand that is renowned worldwide.
Though not as popular as other streams, automotive engineering is ideal for those who are excited about vehicles and their nitty-gritty of them.
Have you decided to zoom ahead in your future now? If you still have questions, share them through the comments below to get your answers.
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