r/AutomotiveEngineering

Hi everyone,

Not sure if this is the correct forum, but I'd be really interested in hearing from people who have experience from the industry or have completed one of these degrees.

I'm finishing my bachelor's in aeronautical engineering next summer, from an EU university. I'll have about one full year of experience as a professional aerodynamics engineer (doing just as much mech design as aero analysis), and one year from formula student, by the time of graduation.

I'm considering doing an MSc in Motorsport. I've applied to both Cranfield and Oxford Brookes, and will apply to Southampton (Race car aero) once they open their admissions for next fall.

I am however, a bit split between which one I should actually go for in the end. Especially considering I already have quite a lot of practical experience. I'd therefore value network, thesis placement options and more substantial taught modules (although somewhat applied), over more basic, practical experience. By the way they're marketed, I get the impression that OB is more trackside, and Cranfield is more R&D oriented, but I really don't trust the websites of study programs (been burnt before).

So my question is, does anybody here know how OB and Cranfield actually compare regarding this? And also which is actually better for an F1/motorsport career?

Do anyone have any idea or expertise in modelling leaf spring via Adams Car? Need help

I have been working in the automotive related industry for a couple of years, and I have always been flabbergasted by the lack of basic understanding of strength, stiffness and CFD of the average designer.

We have designers that have auto sport backgrounds, but usually they just "make a thing" in CAD and then throw it to FEA and CFD guys. Usually the thing has no thought given about load introduction, supports, optimal geometry or manufacturing (the last bit always puzzles me, that I, a FEA guy, have to ask if the designer thought about how the hell it is manufactured). Not to mention thought given to corrosion.

CFD and cooling is also something that goes over the head of most. Designers are one thing, but Chief Engineers and Senior Engineer Managers are another. Because they want light, simple, cheap and fast things. Every project is done in a rush, with a tight budget. Then comes the reclamation that something isn't working, or has broken. Because it wasn't tested and it was the first idea that came to CE's or SEM's or designer's mind and they just put that into the production. The first FEA and CFD is usually done after the reclamation. And because it is already in production, it cannot be altered much. Only "a quick cheap fix" is allowed. Which usually ends up not working, because it was not designed properly in the first place, and trying to fix something fundamentally wrong with 5c fix does not make it work.

Is this like this everywhere, or am I unlucky?

For those working in Automotive Software / Embedded / ADAS / SDV and who have moved to the UK, what is the most effective way to approach the job market?
Which platforms have worked best for you — LinkedIn, Indeed, company career portals, specialist automotive recruiters, referrals, etc.? Is uploading a CV to recruiter portals useful, or is directly approaching recruiters/hiring managers more effective?
Also, are there any UK-specific automotive recruitment agencies or strategies you would recommend for someone with 7–10+ years of experience?
Would love to hear from people who have actually landed automotive roles in the UK.

I have experience in automotive software across HMI/application development, ADAS, and currently software architecture & development for a braking ECU using AUTOSAR Classic.
I’m looking to understand how engineers with a similar background can move towards Adaptive AUTOSAR, SDV, automotive SoCs and AI/ADAS platforms, especially the kind of work happening around next-gen semiconductor/compute platforms.
For people already working in this space, what resources would you recommend for learning the architecture and technologies? Also, are there any good open-source projects, GitHub repositories, blogs, creators or practical projects that can help build a portfolio and demonstrate these skills to recruiters?
I’d also be interested in understanding the interview patterns and preparation strategy for SDV / automotive compute / semiconductor roles.
Basically, if you were starting from a strong AUTOSAR Classic + automotive software architecture background, what would your 6–12 month strategy look like to get into SDV / Adaptive AUTOSAR / next-gen automotive compute?
Would really appreciate insights from people working in this space.

Hi everyone, I am a mechanical engineer looking to break into automotive design field. I wanted to know where and how to learn but also get projects to present and showcase my skills for BIW and CIW design roles. I have interviewed with some companies and would like to have your suggestions or experience.

we produce diff covers for a japanese auto manufacturer (guess and you'll be right) they test our covers un-ecoated and occasionally find air leaks.

my question is: gear oil doesn't fit through the same microscopic hole as air and once the coating is applied microscopic holes will be sealed. what leak rate is good enough and how to prove customers won't have oil stains on their driveways? or how would you try to defend your process/robots?

we all know axles are vented and not pressurized, even they admit that