Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics

Timmy Martin (No chance) says

The pathway to automating the role of a technician I see would first require modular vehicle construction. Once vehicles have easily replaced and accessible modules i.e. a "front right drive motor assembly". an automated system could isolate the concern to a general module and with the removal of a handful of accessible fasteners could remove the whole module and replace it. With one large fastener at the top of the strut tower two large fasteners on the lower control arm and one large electrical connector, the entire module is swapped and sent for rebuild.

Tom B says

Somewhere, right now a car company engineering group is working on a vehicle design that is centered around supporting service by robotics, and also developing the compatible robots. In about 5 years you will see basic service robots deployed, and within 10 years at least 50% of the work can be delegated to robots. (for new car dealerships) AI and big data will handle the majority of failure diagnosis, with diagnostics over the air and onboard computer software updates over the air. If surgeons are already being displaced by robotics for some types of surgeries, when the cost of robotics comes down almost any skilled manual labor can be displaced.

Mestica says

There are simply too many variables, people interactions, and different levels of abuse and care that each vehicle receives.

Scott (No chance) says

I've been an auto technician for about 37 years now. When I started working on cars computers didn't exist in cars yet. Now some cars have upwards of 15 computers that do everything from working a convertible top to driving a vehicle autonomously. That's a big leap in 37 years but I just don't think that robots could replace the parts we replace or diagnose a problem that humans can. I just don't think its possible. Not now. Not in 50 years. Yes cars will become smarter and have more computers but I still think there will always be a need for a human mechanic to work on them.

Also in my opinion cars haven't gotten any better than they were in the 70s or 80s just different problems and different ways to diagnose and repair them. I've forgotten more than a lot of guys in their 30s and even 40s have learned. I think I was blessed to have become a Mechanic when I did. I've seen and learned a lot more in 37 years than I think most techs will learn in the next 35 or 40 years. I became a mechanic in a time when computers didn't exist in cars I remember how may shops went out of business when Antilock brakes came out.

I'm a multiple times A.S.E. Master Technician. Still learning today still wrenching and I will to the end. I actually enjoyed it more 25 or 30 years ago but I love some of the challenges techs face today. I'm always waiting for that problem no one can figure out and I figure it out.

All the Techs my age know exactly what I'm saying we've all been there and been that guy to fix it. I doubt any robot could do all the things we have to do. It just doesn't seem possible.

Alec (Low) says

As cars get more advanced it will be harder to work on them and at the rate technology is progressing it seems unlikely that 20 years from now computers will be doing all the work on cars, humans are a lot more likely to be needed but will have technological aid

Siprico (Highly likely) says

Corporations will always look for the most cost effective way to increase the bottom line, corporations are not concerned with humanity or culture unless it makes them money.

Gael Gay Gaylord (Low) says

Robots working on cars would be bad, they do already create cars but I think its better if we people fix the cars and not have them create and fix them too (I'm gonna be an automotive mechanic sooner or later)

John says

For maintenance, sure, but not every car is exactly the same. This would be one of the last to go. Anyone with a computer job or repetitive task will go first. Look at nursing, they said like 1.5%, and this is 55%... what? You check the temperature of a patient, then play on Facebook and complain about work for 3 hours. Lol. Definitely going to replace most of the basic ones.

Nicholas D'Amico (Low) says

Assembly and manufacturing will be automated. Minor service jobs, like fluid changes, will undoubtedly be automated away.

However, troubleshooting and repairing vehicles with problems that aren't related to recurring service will not be automated away.

With this in mind, I think that the market for mechanics will actually increase due to the automation of vehicles on the road. More vehicles mean more mechanics - more jiffy lube robot techs and more certified mechanics in the future.

Alex says

Not robots but 'electric cars will reduce maintenance by 90 per cent' - Sandy Munro

Dean (No chance) says

There simply is to many variables/people interactions that have to happen/every vehicle is different in the amount of abuse and care towards that vehicle

Troy (No chance) says

They won't be able to diagnose little problems.

Jarno says

Totally agree with the comments here. You’d need a super AI just to recognize the wear and/or damage. Then it also needs to think of a way to actually do it... and then you’d need a super-robot to be actually able to do the very diverse physical stuff. (Arms? Tools?)

It wouldn’t be cost effective to design and build such a robot anytime soon.

This job is super under-appreciated in my opinion.

Rick (Low) says

Besides diagnostics there are to many variables for a robot to make the actual repairs.

Maybe 50 years. (No chance) says

Unless we get self thinking robots that can mimic and access repair books and find problems very unlikely.

They would need arms for one.

jim beam (Low) says

Its WAYYYYYYY more complicated then you think

john (No chance) says

robots can not detect the slightest repair

aaa says

Eventually yes, but just don't see it happening in the next 20 years.