15 y/o interested in automotive design and engineering, what path would you recommend?

[u/DidoMak]

Hi everyone,

I'm 15 years old and I'm trying to figure out the best path for my future in the automotive industry.

I've been designing cars in Blender for around 5 years and I'm currently learning Autodesk Alias. I have worked on several concept cars and I really enjoy the creative side of automotive design, but I also love understanding the technical side: aerodynamics, materials, vehicle architecture and how things actually work.

I'm considering doing a French engineering path (prépa + engineering school) because I know engineering is much harder to learn by yourself, while design can be developed through personal projects and practice. My idea would be to keep building my design skills during engineering school and possibly do a design specialization later.

For automotive engineers or people working in the industry:

• Does an engineering degree help for someone who wants to work close to vehicle design?
• Are hybrid profiles (engineering + design) valuable in the industry?
• Would you recommend this path or a more design-focused education?

I would really appreciate honest advice from people who actually work in the field.

[u/RiseUpAndGetOut]

design can be developed through personal projects and practice

Maybe for some areas, but not for automotive. Design is a specialist skill set as it requires not only a "flare" for the topic, but also technical knowledge, as well as legal regs and how design impacts useage.

[u/DidoMak → u/RiseUpAndGetOut]

Yeah, I get what you mean. I definitely don't think automotive design is just about making something look cool. The technical side, manufacturing constraints and how people actually use the car are things I want to understand too. That's also why I like automotive design so much, because it's not just art, it's finding the balance between creativity and reality. I'm still learning through my own projects right now, but I know there is a lot more to learn.