All of a sudden, you hear her. You hear her from a distance. The sound of a thousand horses shakes the ground beneath you. The sound of a mighty beast charging as it passes you. The loud roars of a 1000-horsepower engine and the deafening rumbles it leaves, as you turn to see a sleek, gorgeous beauty racing pass you, leaving you to admire the awesome pressure of the wind following behind it.
It’s all noise pollution. But you don’t care about that. All you could think of was what went into making that beautiful beast and how it was born.
If that describes you, then put on your seat belts because Automotive Engineering could be the right course for you!
This guide will take you through everything you need to know about studying an Automotive Engineering course in Malaysia, from what it is and how it works, all the way to the career options that you will have.
Automotive engineering basically deals with how vehicles function. You will study manufacturing, design, product testing, research & development. You will learn what’s inside a car and what makes it tick. Not just fixing cars, you’ll have to design new products and improve existing ones while finding solutions to engineering problems.
The duration per level of study for accounting and finance in Malaysia is as follows:
Course Duration:
Minimum CGPA of 2.00
STPM :
Pass with Grade B- in Additional Mathematics or Advanced Additional Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics/Biology
A-Levels :
Minimum 2 Principal Passes, including Mathematics and Physics
UEC :
Minimum 5 Bs (including Mathematics and Physics/Chemistry
Matriculation Certificate/Foundation of Science :
Certificate/SKM III :
Minimum CGPA of 2.00 with a credit in any subject and a pass in Mathematics at SPM level
SAM/HSC/AUSMAT- TER/UAI :
Average of 50% or higher in 5 subjects (including Mathematics)
Automotive Engineering is a division of automobile engineering with its studies focused on the design, manufacture and operation of automobiles like motorcycles, buses, trucks and cars with elements of mechanical, electrical, electronic, software and safety engineering incorporated into it.
Automotive engineers work in every area of the industry, from the design and feel of current cars to the security and safety of any new forms of transport.
Making a car go as fast as a Bugatti but having the fuel efficiency of Toyota Prius may seem like an impossible feat but that’s the kind of problems automotive engineers face every day.
These are some of the main fields covered in an Automotive Engineering course:
| Automotive Design | This field involves learning how to design new products and improving existing ones. |
| Automotive R&D | In the world of Automotive Engineering, you will be faced with millions of problems and you will be taught how to find solutions to engineering problems. |
| Automotive Production | Some automobiles are built by hand while some by robots. As an automotive engineer you will also be educated in production processes to help smoothen the process while delivering cost savings to consumers. |
| Automotive Technology | We’re living in a fast paced world with new technologies being innovated every day. In this field you will learn how to incorporate and innovate technology that will be relevant and useful for automobiles. |
Many of the fields that you will learn are designed to expose you to the various fields in this industry and as you progress you will learn more and more about the industry to help you become a successful automotive engineer when you finish your course. Unfortunately, there is no field in building Transformers or spy cars laced with various gadgets.
Entry requirements may vary depending on the institution, so make sure you do your research before you decide which institution to study at!
Instead of doing a degree, you could also choose to do a Diploma right after SPM. That way you won’t need to take a Pre-University programme just to do an automotive engineering course. Entry requirements for a Diploma is typically 3 credits at SPM level.
Automotive Engineering degrees are generally 3-4 years long.
However if you decide to do a Diploma instead, it is usually 2 to 2.5 years long. Upon successful completion of your Diploma, you can choose to either start working, or enter directly into Year 2 of a Degree in Automotive Engineering.
Automotive Engineering courses are usually tailored to provide you with a wide range of industry-related knowledge. Upon successful completion, you will be ready to enter the industry and immediately apply your skill set that you’ve learned.
In the first year, you will typically learn about the basics of automobiles and be taught some basic science subjects such as:
In your second and third year, you will be given lessons on more in-depth understanding of automotive engineering while learning more complex mechanical and electronical automotive works. Subjects that you will usually be required to study are:
Most institutions include a semester where you will undergo industrial training at workshops and factories. This is where you’ll get to have hands-on experience to practice and apply the knowledge you’ve obtained.
After completing your Automotive Engineering course, here are some of your career options:
Automotive Engineering is a fun and rewarding career for anyone who has interest in cars. Here are some reasons why you should study Automotive Engineering. (a) Ever Growing Industry The automotive industry is huge and as humans are seeking ways to go faster in more efficient ways, automotive engineering will be key to helping this vision come true. Your skillset will be needed in almost every country and you won’t have a hard time seeking a job wherever you are. (b) Be a part of the future Whether you’re designing new automobiles or innovating new technologies for it, you can be sure that your works will be a part of the future that is to come. You can be sure that you’ll never be sitting in an office doing paperwork and you job scope will be an exciting one as an automotive engineering graduate. (c) Work at prestigious companies Lamborghini, Ferrari, BMW, Mercedes Benz, Mclaren. Sounds familiar to you? Of course they do! These are some of the best car manufacturing companies in the world. They make some of the best cars out there, and as an automotive engineering graduate, you’ll have a chance to work at these companies and use your skills to help them do what they do best! (d) The sound of a revving engine keeps you up at night Literally. You can’t sleep. It echoes in your eardrums. The sound of a hurricane, revving your excitement, spinning your head at 5000 rpm. An engine with the power of a thousand horses makes you want to go wild. Yet, the only thing you want to know is how it’s made. (e) Racing into the future Yes, you have racing thoughts about this; about engineering a car that takes you ‘back’ to the future.
To do well in Automotive Engineering, you will require a few skills and qualities like the following. (a) Attention to detail As an automotive engineer, you will need to pay attention to even the smallest detail because even that can mean life or death for people who use your machines. One less nut and bolt and it could mean a disaster for you and your company and it is up to you to make sure everything is done properly. (b) Creative mind In this industry, you will face problems to solve everyday and if you’re someone who can’t think creatively to solve the problems in front of you, you’re going to have to hard time. Problems will arise and you must be able to solve them even if it requires a little off-the-books thinking! (c) Ability to adapt to a dynamic environment and staying up-to-date If you studied automotive engineering 10 years ago, you wouldn’t have learnt about hybrid cars and how they’re engineered. Now hybrid cars are everywhere and soon, there will be newer innovations which require you to be up-to-date and adaptive. You must embrace change and be able to adapt or else you could hit a speed bump and crash! (4) Being a team player with some management skills Building or designing a car will require you to work in a team. Hence, regularly contributing to team meetings and updating your colleagues about the progress, developments, and any problems encountered is important. You may need to supervise other technical staff, engineers, and designers.
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