High School

Driverless car engineers have solid knowledge of computers and math. Take as many classes as possible in computer science (including artificial intelligence), science, algebra, calculus, and other mathematics. Art, drawing, and design classes are beneficial because the work requires familiarity with design. Engineering work also involves collaborating with others in teams, so strong communication skills are important. Take English, writing, and speech classes.

Postsecondary Training

A bachelors degree is the minimum requirement for driverless car engineer jobs. Employers typically expect self-driving car engineers to have a bachelors or masters degree in electrical, mechanical, systems, software, or industrial engineering, or in robotics. Coursework includes engineering, robotics, and artificial intelligence topics, as well science and math classes, including courses that cover topics such as probability and statistics. Students may also participate in internship programs at software companies to enhance their knowledge of software systems development.

Certification

Many colleges and universities offer undergraduate and graduate certificate programs in AI, engineering, robotics, and related fields, and a smaller number of schools provide programs in autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle design and engineering. Programs typically last six months to a year and are available in online, in-person, and hybrid formats.

Other Education or Training

Driverless car engineers must keep up with industry developments and improve their knowledge and skills throughout their careers. They take continuing education classes through schools such as Udacity and Coursera, which offer courses and education programs on specializations such as autonomous car engineering. Engineers also take classes and webinars through professional associations. For example, SAE International offers Introduction to Highly Automated Vehicle. According to the association, students who take this class “will learn how highly automated vehicles perceive the world, make decisions, and either warn drivers or actively intervene in controlling the vehicle to avoid or mitigate crashes.” The American Society for Engineering Education, Association for Computing Machinery, and many other associations offer professional development opportunities.

Certification or Licensing

Driverless car engineers can enhance their skills and knowledge as well as their marketability through certification.

The Connected Vehicle Trade Association offers a connected vehicle professional certification to those who complete the following classes and pass an examination:

• Connected Vehicle Professional I: Function, Protocols, and Architecture
• Connected Vehicle Professional II: Standards, Organizations, Programs
• Connected Vehicle Professional III: Data, Markets, Policy and Regulations.

Visit https://www.connectedvehicle.org/connected-vehicle-professional for more information.

The IEEE Computer Society offers the associate software developer credential and the professional software developer and professional software engineering master certifications. Find information at https://www.computer.org/education. The Institute for Certification of Computing Professionals, https://www.iccp.org, also offers certification to computer professionals.

Driverless car engineers usually have prior work experience as software developers, systems engineers, or in other related engineering specializations.

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills are needed in autonomous vehicle engineering work. Attention to detail is required, as is the ability to work well under pressure, especially in the face of tight deadlines. Engineers also work in teams, so clear written and oral communication skills are needed for effective collaboration on projects. They must have strong listening skills and patience in dealing with other engineers and professionals of various backgrounds. They also must be interested in continually learning to keep up with new technologies and software programs.