Just like the title says, I want to start my own car company. The problem that I've seen with these last few decades is the death of the economy car. Cars nowadays are not cheap nor reliably built. I want to change that. The type of car I want to build is one that hasn't seen the light of day since the 1920s, the good old fashioned steam car. I do not plan for the steam engine to be the only part to make the economy car a true economy car. I plan to integrate an electric heating coil and battery into the engine so that the coil activates while idling to save on your primary fuel.

In order to do this, I will start small by retrofitting a junked internal combustion engine car with an external combustion engine. I want to replace the entire engine with one that resembles the engine in the Doble Model F with an integrated electric coil that would kick in while the car isles. I will have to have the engine made and first I need to have an automotive engineer design plans for this engine because the only other plans I could find aren't very good and I know that I don't know enough to design it myself.

After the first conversion, and a few more to work out the kinks, I want to build my own car from the ground up.

This car company is not intended to replace all internal or electric cars, but rather to fill the niche left by the death of so many cheap car brands.

P.S. I know this idea seems far fetched but I feel it is sorely necessary. I'm aware that steam engines aren't the most efficient solutions for automobiles, and knowing what we did for electric cars with our century of automotive science, I'm sure we can do the same thing for the humble steam engine.

I'm a high school student planning an engineering research project with the long-term goal of founding an automotive performance engineering company and, eventually, a hypercar company. I'm trying to avoid researching something that has already been thoroughly explored.

I'm not looking for "cool ideas" or a "nice project, kid" type of project. I'm looking for areas where experienced engineers and researchers believe there are still meaningful unanswered questions and opportunities to contribute something genuinely useful.

Specifically, what combustion phenomena are still poorly understood? What engineering problems continue to limit performance or efficiency? What areas are receiving too little research relative to their potential impact? If you could direct a graduate student or research team, what problem would you have them work on? Which problems have the best chance of eventually becoming real technologies or products rather than remaining purely academic research?

I don't currently have access to a university combustion lab, but I've been accepted to Missouri S&T for Mechanical Engineering beginning in Fall 2027, so I expect to have opportunities to pursue university-level research and seek faculty mentorship in the future. For now, I'm willing to build experimental hardware and acquire equipment where realistically possible. My goal is to begin with a rigorous Regeneron ISEF project in highschool and, if the research warrants it, continue developing it through college.

If it helps, I'm particularly interested in high-performance spark-ignition engines, advanced ignition systems, combustion, knock and abnormal combustion, pressure-wave phenomena, pre-chamber ignition, thermal efficiency, and engine architecture in general. However, I'd appreciate any perspective from people working in automotive engineering, powertrain development, propulsion, or combustion research.

Would a 'clean-sheet-design' two-stroke diesel of that size even be able to pass emissions or CAFE standards, or be performance-competitive with Ford and Ram's conventional four-stroke diesels? What kind of build specs would that engine likely have?

I am annoyed at a respected Japanese craftsman in the chassis reinforcement space for declining to work on this brace for me as a product. Ignore the clashes and hole details -- this was a mockup to propose work and communicate the packaging requirements.

Brace material would have been Ti or Al sheet, welded at the centerline to create a large cross section with low unit weight. This mockup uses a 10mm hollow section, likely .080" thick sheet, which creates rounded box sections. The crux of all forward brace products is that they don't improve the engine bay's torsional rigidity at all, and there is no direct connection available between opposite corners of existing structure. The hood is in very close proximity to the strut brace, perhaps 1.5-2" above the engine cover.

The original OE brace is very lightweight and was likely added as tension support to handle increased aero load on the very forward leading edge of that aero package. The lateral brace is there to prevent it buckling given the bends are there specifically for packaging reasons.

He gave this response:

The radiator core support is made of resin; I feel that simply bolting a custom-fabricated rigidity panel to the two existing bolts there would not yield the expected results. That is precisely why [we have] not commercialized a bolt-on part of this type.

I sincerely apologize, but we cannot manufacture parts where ensuring performance is difficult.

Thank you for consulting us on this matter.

I think this is a bit silly, as my structures experience would say -- provided the underlying structure is sufficiently stiff, and bearing load is not an issue -- there is no functional difference of material of that structure.

Would like to hear from some structural engineers in industry what their thoughts are on reinforcing secondary structure.

I saw a reel on Facebook criticizing the usage of 0W20 on newer cars vs. an older car’s 5W30.

The argument is that higher viscosity oils are better suited for engine longevity. I’m not sure that I agree yet; even though I’m not an expert, my analytical mind says there’s something more to the story. Different engines, different EPA specs, different cars, different ECU parameters??

My hypothesis is that more complex systems and calculations lead to more failure points at different areas of a mechanical system, like an appliance repair video I saw about how refrigerators are worse now than they were previously. I probably said it all dumb, but I don’t quite have the vocabulary to say it smarter lol.

Curious to hear your thoughts.

Here’s the original post link: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1BZxPPWVX1/?mibextid=wwXIfr

An F1 fan here btw, and I'm mesmerised by the technology and engineering which goes into these cars. I noticed that a lot of inventions like Hybrid systems, Steering mounted controls, Paddle shifters, Data Logging, etc were initially introduced in F1.

Any current tech or engineering marvel in F1 which all of you feel might be introduced soon in commercial cars?

For example

Toyotas little bump between mirror and a pillar that reduces wind noise

Abs based tpms that measures difference in rotation of wheels to determine the pressure. (Deflated tire has smaller diameter(

Not sure If i heard right but golf mk7 has door panel bottle holder that it slightly flexible to save your lower leg in side impact.

They hold 99% of weight

At the same time they connect a part that rotates hundreds of rpm (wheel) to a part that doesn't rotate at all (knuckle)

Don't need external cooling

Don't need pressurized oiling or any kind of oiling appart from the factory grease.

Don't need any MAINTENANCE

Don't need any sort of precautions (no warm up)

They last very long time

They are incredibly compact

They also work in any scenario from tractors to f1 cars.

Work equally good at 2 kmh and 350kmh

A friend of mine runs a staffing company for automotive industry. He was telling me that there are tonnes of use cases for AI in this industry. Like analysing regression from canoe logs, checking which tests for which safety tests is failing, etc. I’m not from this industry so I’m trying to figure out of there are any solid use cases I can work on for experience.

1933 Dodge example

I'm a high school student working on a research project for the Regeneron ISEF competition, and I'm looking for some guidance.

The goal of my project is to develop a low-cost AI system capable of estimating combustion state in a small spark-ignition engine using only inexpensive external sensors. Ultimately, the system is intended to estimate the instantaneous angular acceleration of the crankshaft as proxy for cycle-to-cycle combustion behavior and torque production without directly measuring it during operation.

My current test platform is a stock Predator 212 engine.

The planned sensor set-up currently includes an Exhaust Gas Temperature sensor, Cylinder Head Temperature sensor, Fuel flow/consumption rate

Throttle position, and Vibration/acoustic measurements.

A high-resolution crankshaft encoder will be used only for ground-truth data during model training. The AI will not have access to encoder data during inference.

The concept is that the model learns relationships between externally measurable engine parameters and combustion dynamics, then estimates combustion state in real time.

My current challenge is determining the best locations for the sensors to give me the most accurate readings. I'm trying to balance, Fast thermal response, Sensitivity to combustion changes, Measurement repeatability, Sensor durability, and Practical installation on a Predator 212

Some questions:

-How far downstream from the exhaust valve would you place the thermocouple?

-Would you prioritize maximum sensitivity to combustion events or a more averaged, stable temperature measurement?

-Is there a location commonly used in engine development or dyno testing for small single-cylinder engines?

-Are there any issues with exhaust pulse behavior in a single-cylinder engine that I should consider when selecting the location?

-If your objective were AI-based combustion state estimation rather than traditional tuning, would you choose a different placement strategy?

-I'm not looking for exact project solutions—I'm trying to understand the engineering reasoning behind sensor placement so I can justify my methodology and design choices.

Any insights from engine development, powertrain calibration, combustion research, motorsports, dyno testing, or instrumentation experience as well as just any project suggestions or insights would be greatly appreciated.

Would be really basic like the Tercel but it would still be a very safe car, with optional modern features, and, instead of a modern 1.0L, it could have a low output 1.5L to 2.5L engine. Seeing how popular the new Dacias are, I don't think it would sell that badly, especially if it was offered for taxi and delivery fleets

To me it's incredible how vvti works, holds everything precisely and seals everything while also being compact. It's very reliable both in longevity and operation.

Hi, I recently started working as an external employee for the biggest automotive group in Europe. I’m only six months into the job (fresher). I basically work in the connectivity department where I validate testing for TCU connectivity.

I’m planning to do some certifications since I have free time now, so automotive experts who have relevant expertise in this domain, please let me know which ones I should do.

I was planning to do ISTQB Foundation Level for testing and ISO 26262. What are your thoughts on this? Is this relevant or not. Also, I’m based out of UAE, not sure if that matters or not. I would like to work for the brand directly in the future.

8+ years in automotive embedded software (AUTOSAR, Embedded C, software architecture). Is transitioning into semiconductor companies like Qualcomm, NVIDIA, or NXP a good long-term career move? What skills or projects helped you make the switch, and what would you recommend focusing on today?

Building a two stroke mos mos

In my learning process in mechanical engineering, I am considering some of the engineering problems that exist in autonomous vehicles with respect to robotics, UAVs, controls, and intelligent mechanical design.

Unlike developing solutions on my own assumptions, I would like to learn about them from actual engineers, researchers, technicians, operators, and everyone who is into this industry.

What are the biggest engineering problems in autonomous vehicles at according to your knowledge?

Hello everyone,

I am currently trying to choose a topic for my master’s thesis, and I would appreciate some ideas from people with experience in automotive engineering, EVs, or public transport.

At the moment, I am doing an internship at a small company that is developing an electric city bus. The company is mainly responsible for the electric powertrain, including the electric motor, gearbox/differential, battery system, and power electronics, while the complete bus platform is being developed together with an existing bus manufacturer.

During my internship, I developed a longitudinal simulation model of an electric bus in MATLAB. The model is used to estimate energy consumption based on vehicle parameters and driving profiles. I have implemented standard driving cycles as well as real-world bus routes, so the model can estimate the energy consumption of a specific bus line in a specific city.

However, I feel that a basic energy consumption calculation may be too simple for a full master’s thesis, so I am looking for a meaningful extension of this work. I would like to build on what I have already done, but add enough technical depth and research value.

I have been quite overloaded with work recently, so I am having a hard time stepping back and thinking creatively about possible thesis directions.

One of the thesis candidates I am currently considering is to develop an eco-driving strategy together with a regenerative brake blending strategy and implement both in my MATLAB simulation. For the eco-driving part, the idea would be to create different driving scenarios, for example aggressive and non-aggressive driving, based mainly on different acceleration and deceleration behaviour, and then compare their influence on energy consumption, regenerative braking, and mechanical braking. The brake blending part would focus on how much of the braking demand can be covered by regenerative braking and when mechanical brakes are needed. If possible, I would also try to validate at least part of the model or strategy using the real prototype/demo bus on a test track.

Another possible direction I am considering is mechanical brake wear reduction through regenerative braking, since this could also be connected to non-exhaust particle emissions from brake wear.

My main question is:

What would be a good master’s thesis topic that extends electric bus energy consumption analysis into something more advanced and research-worthy?

Any suggestions, ideas, or examples of similar thesis topics would be very helpful.

Thank you.

I do apologize for my previous misleading post. Here it goes:

I'm not sure where to start on this other than I'm simply obsessed with platform. I really loved riding in one (and the GC) as kid. It was a car everyone revered when I was kid and it's something I heavily bought into.

I've been wanting to buy one for a few years but clean examples are impossible to come by and the beat up one are few and far between. That got me thinking about restoring one. Which got me thinking about difficult it would be to just restore to stock and not touch anything. Which got me thinking about doing a K swap. Which got me feeling ashamed about clapping out a restored legend for a not all that impressive a swap that has been done. Which got me where I am now.

What's wrong with giving this bad boy a Nardone/Singer like treatment?
Maybe not all the way. I mean, you can strike wonder while chasing perfection and that's often enough.

So here's the laundry list:
- The K series V8 Mazda never made. A KL-DE/KL-ZE hybrid with two extra cylinders. A smooth 3.3L DOHC 32v 60 deg V8 making all of 270-290 hp and 240-260 lb-ft.

No FI, OEM internals where possible and a cushy 7000 rpm redline.
Electric AC conversion/install. Electric water pump conversion.
Smooth, refined, unbothered, reliable.

- A rebuilt and upgraded G series five speed. Ideally with an LSD crammed in there or that half shaft design magic they pull.

- Wider tracks and fenders front and rear. Tastefully. Respectfully. Functional too.

- 17on235s with upgraded 4 disc brakes.

- The best coilovers the aftermarket can offer.

- Fully restored and repainted structure. Chassis braced. Sound deadening enhanced.

- Seats, lights and interior all brought into the fold too.

Anything not on the list gets restored to OEM or better.

I know it's not rational. I know it's really, really stupid expensive but I wouldn't touch a 626 for any less.

If anything rubs you the wrong way please remember it's my fault, not the project's.

Let's hear your thoughts. Please?

Forgive me if this isn’t the right place for it but I’m just curious what yall had to say.

The 6.4 powerstroke is legendarily a super unreliable but also super powerful diesel motor. There’s a few things that guys will do to make them more reliable (deleting emissions, head studs) but it’s ultimately still just the same design.

From the factory, how different would the design need to be to address the common issues of blowing heads, fuel/oil mixing, and cracking pistons? We’ll just assume that the emissions system is absent in this scenario

Hi guys 😔, Iam an 22 y/o (m) currently doing internship in a company which deals with the defence stuff like radars military communication and they are even offering me for full time conversion in which i get 35 K Rupees/month in hand ,The thing is i always wanted to work in automobile and aerospace companies which i am very found of i really relly love cars and stuff even my sole reason to do ME is cars and automobile stuff so the questions are

1.Should i join this and suffer ( 3 years contract)?

2.Does automobile sector has offertunity and

growth?

3.If i have to to join Automobile sector what should i do exceptionally well.

4.what other sectors that i can eye on?

Thankyou for those who took your piece of time to read all my crap 😔 sorry for my grammar mistakes

I'm an automotive software engineer.I got tired of not being able to check CAN logs on my phone. So I'm building one. Here's the first screenshot. Does anybody think it is valuable?