Cars in mechanical and aerospace

[aeroeng212]

I was wondering if anyone knows anything on this topic...

I know that Mechanical Engineers are found designing cars in the automobile industry, but does anyone know if aerospace engineers (with a degree in aerospace engineering as opposed to mechanical engineering) are qualified (and if they do or not) to design automobiles as well? If so, does anyone know what aspects of vehicle design these aerospace engineers are found in?

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[FredGarvin]

It's a bit of a crap shoot. I think a lot of it will depend on the company and the timing when one is looking for a job as well as the applicant. AE's and ME's share a lot of the same curricula. I have seen plenty of situations in which the two would be interchangable. I am an ME that works in aerospace. Don't get too hung up on the degree title.

 

[Hawknc]

Plenty of AEs are found in the automotive industry here in Australia, mostly in the field of aerodynamics but there's enough flexibility for them to work in fields like powertrain or chassis as well. The structure of most aerospace degrees here allows for work in the automotive and mechanical industries simply because there isn't enough work in the aerospace industry for all the graduates coming out. So, the short answer is yes, often as much as any ME with an equivalent level of experience in their respective field.

 

[BobG]

I was wondering if anyone knows anything on this topic...

I know that Mechanical Engineers are found designing cars in the automobile industry, but does anyone know if aerospace engineers (with a degree in aerospace engineering as opposed to mechanical engineering) are qualified (and if they do or not) to design automobiles as well? If so, does anyone know what aspects of vehicle design these aerospace engineers are found in?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Presumably, it would qualify you to build a Saab, but I only have their commercials to go by.

The commercial did make we wonder about this, though. I would guess they're aeronautical experience would help in designing the body shape, but I wonder how much of the rest carries over.