Takeover Tracker
30%medium risk
Automotive Engineers
vs

67 shared · 21 different

core competencies

32%medium risk
Materials Engineers

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricAutomotive EngineersMaterials Engineers
Risk Score29.7%31.7%
Risk TierMedium RiskMedium Risk
Risk Percentile37th49th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)8 / 156 / 15
Median Salary$102,320$108,310
Employment287K23K

Skill Comparison

|

Sorted by largest difference

Chemistry
Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
Design
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
Transportation
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material
Developing and Building Teams
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates
Selling or Influencing Others
Coaching and Developing Others
Customer and Personal Service

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Automotive Engineers

33%

total discount

Materials Engineers

31%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Automotive Engineers

8 of 15 at risk
73%Write, review, or maintain engineering documentation.
53%Design vehicles that use lighter materials, such as aluminum, magnesium alloy, or plastic, to improve fuel efficiency.
52%Develop calibration methodologies, test methodologies, or tools.
51%Develop engineering specifications or cost estimates for automotive design concepts.
51%Perform failure, variation, or root cause analyses.

Materials Engineers

6 of 15 at risk
86%Perform managerial functions, such as preparing proposals and budgets, analyzing labor costs, and writing reports.
84%Monitor material performance and evaluate material deterioration.
76%Conduct or supervise tests on raw materials or finished products to ensure their quality.
53%Review new product plans and make recommendations for material selection, based on design objectives such as strength, weight, heat resistance, electrical conductivity, and cost.
51%Evaluate technical specifications and economic factors relating to process or product design objectives.

Wage Comparison

Materials Engineers earns +$5,990(+6%) vs Automotive Engineers
Automotive EngineersMaterials Engineers
10th
$68,740$68,040
25th
$81,800$85,820
Median
$102,320$108,310
75th
$130,290$138,370
90th
$161,240$172,000

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Automotive Engineers2028–2035
Materials Engineers2028–2035
20242030203520402045

Automotive Engineers has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Materials Engineers.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

Salary weighted by displacement risk: salary × (1 − risk%)

Automotive Engineers

$71,921

from $102,320

Materials Engineers

$73,987

from $108,310

After adjusting for AI risk, Materials Engineers offers $2,066 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

1%

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

0

Unique to Automotive

0

Unique to Materials

Combined Protection Strategy

Regardless of which path you choose, focus on these protective factors

Creativity
Decision Complexity
Regulatory Barriers
Social Intelligence
Automotive EngineersMaterials Engineers
Find transitions from Automotive EngineersFind transitions from Materials Engineers