Which engineering discipline focuses on road-based vehicles like cars and trucks?

The discipline that focuses on road-based vehicles like cars and trucks is automotive engineering. This field encompasses the design, development, manufacturing, and testing of vehicles and their subsystems. Automotive engineers work on various aspects, including engine performance, vehicle dynamics, fuel efficiency, safety features, and automation technologies, to ensure that vehicles meet consumer needs and comply with industry standards.

Automotive engineering plays a significant role in advancing transportation technologies, contributing to innovations like electric vehicles and autonomous driving systems. This specialization requires a deep understanding of mechanical, electrical, and software engineering principles as they relate specifically to vehicles that operate on roadways.

Other engineering disciplines may involve vehicles or transport systems but are focused on entirely different areas. For example, marine engineering deals with ship design and offshore structures, civil engineering focuses on infrastructure and public works like roads and bridges, and aerospace engineering concentrates on aircraft and spacecraft, making automotive engineering distinctly dedicated to ground vehicles.