Takeover Tracker
30%medium risk
Automotive Engineers
vs

62 shared · 25 different

core competencies

34%medium risk
Materials Scientists

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricAutomotive EngineersMaterials Scientists
Risk Score29.7%34.3%
Risk TierMedium RiskMedium Risk
Risk Percentile37th63th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)8 / 158 / 15
Median Salary$102,320$104,160
Employment287K8K

Skill Comparison

|

Sorted by largest difference

Chemistry
Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
Design
Customer and Personal Service
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
Science
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
Mechanical
Controlling Machines and Processes
MathematicsAI-Vulnerable
Developing and Building Teams

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Automotive Engineers

33%

total discount

Materials Scientists

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 Scientists

8 of 15 at risk
77%Test individual parts and products to ensure that manufacturer and governmental quality and safety standards are met.
70%Test metals to determine conformance to specifications of mechanical strength, strength-weight ratio, ductility, magnetic and electrical properties, and resistance to abrasion, corrosion, heat, and cold.
68%Prepare reports, manuscripts, proposals, and technical manuals for use by other scientists and requestors, such as sponsors and customers.
55%Recommend materials for reliable performance in various environments.
53%Write research papers for publication in scientific journals.

Wage Comparison

Materials Scientists earns +$1,840(+2%) vs Automotive Engineers
Automotive EngineersMaterials Scientists
10th
$68,740$61,460
25th
$81,800$79,980
Median
$102,320$104,160
75th
$130,290$134,140
90th
$161,240$168,500

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Automotive Engineers2028–2035
Materials Scientists2028–2035
20242030203520402045

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

Risk-Adjusted Salary

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

Automotive Engineers

$71,921

from $102,320

Materials Scientists

$68,464

from $104,160

After adjusting for AI risk, Automotive Engineers offers $3,456 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

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