The automotive industry changed people's ideas of boundaries, limits, and distance. With the arrival of the automobile, people suddenly had the freedom to go farther faster than ever before. It changed where people lived and worked. It changed how and where they shopped and traveled. It changed how they thought about distance and time, making a significant impact on how people live their lives and how they behave on a daily basis.

Engineering played a great part in making the automotive industry the important force that it is today. Engineering breakthroughs and innovations in the field are found throughout the industry's history, beginning with components such as shock absorbers, disc brakes, tilt steering, and windshield wipers, and followed by systems such as the self-starting internal combustion engine, electronic fuel injection systems, anti-lock brakes, and air bags. Many of these innovations not only made vehicles more user-friendly, but also made them a good deal safer.

And, engineering innovation was more than just the improvement and development of automobile parts. The production process itself was an innovation and one whose impact can hardly be overstated. The face of the industry (and manufacturing as a whole) was changed forever when the Ford Motor Company introduced the first moving assembly line. The new process meant that more cars could be produced and that prices would drop, changing the car from a luxury item into an affordable means of transportation for the masses.

As motor vehicles became more accessible, they played an increasingly prominent role in everyday life and it quickly became clear that a more robust infrastructure was needed to support the new mode of transportation. Here too, engineers played their part. The Office of Public Roads started an engineer trainee program in 1904, and the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 required each state to have a highway agency staffed with engineering professionals in order to carry out its subsidized road construction projects.

The industry and its place in the public consciousness grew exponentially as roads grew more crowded and a wider variety of motorized vehicles were offered. Commercial vehicles like buses and trucks became prominent, changing the face of public transportation and bringing goods and services to new and wider areas. Consumers were soon choosing from sedans or station wagons, hatchbacks or convertibles, motorcycles or recreational vehicles. And, with all these vehicles on the roads, the environment and public safety became issues of great importance and necessary considerations for engineers.

And there are still plenty of innovations to come. Even now, the automotive industry is in the midst of an engineering revolution with government regulations, environmental concerns, and the need to lower costs. New vehicle designs, the use of new and different materials, and improved engine design are needed to increase fuel efficiency, improve safety, continue cutting down on harmful emissions, and manage production efficiency and costs. Automotive engineering thus remains important for the industry and offers a challenging career with the potential to make a significant impact on society.