Will AI replace Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics?

Not as a job, but it is already doing parts of the work. Across the 30 official task statements scored for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics (United States, SOC 49-3023), 0% of the importance-weighted core work is made of tasks today's AI could already do most of. The overall exposure score is 8 out of 100 (range 6–13, band: minimal). That is a statement about tasks, not about headcount: this measures what AI could do, not whether any employer adopts it, whether the law allows it, or whether doing the routine parts faster creates more demand for the human parts. Figures are from release 2026-q4.1.

Which tasks in “Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics” can AI already do?

The highest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Plan work procedures, using charts, technical manuals, and experience” (56/100, partial); “Estimate costs of vehicle repair” (48/100, partial); “Review work orders and discuss work with supervisors” (37/100, low). Each score comes from five published 0–4 ratings turned into a number by a published formula, and each carries the model's one-sentence reason on the page.

Which tasks in “Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics” stay human?

About 92% of this job's task weight sits in work that scores low for AI exposure. The lowest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Retrofit vehicle fuel systems with aftermarket products, such as vapor transfer devices, evaporation control devices, swirlers, lean burn devices, and fricti…” (0/100, minimal); “Repair or rebuild transmissions” (0/100, minimal); “Rebuild parts, such as crankshafts and cylinder blocks” (0/100, minimal). Low scores usually mean the task needs a body in a room, a legally accountable human, or trust built in real time. Those are the three things the scoring rubric treats as gates rather than obstacles.

What should someone working in “Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics” do about AI?

Start from the ledger rather than the headline: 0% of this job's weighted core work is exposed, and roughly 92% is not. The practical move is to spend more of your week on the tasks that score low, the ones above, and to get fluent at directing AI through the tasks that score high, because those are the parts that change whether or not you are ready for them. This page does not predict your job, and nothing here is career advice tailored to you: the score describes the occupation, not the person.

How is the AI exposure score for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics calculated?

Each official task statement for the occupation is rated on five published 0–4 dimensions (output replicability, physical embodiment, licensed accountability, real-time human trust, and data availability) by claude-opus-5 using scoring prompt task_scoring_v1.0. The model never writes the score; a published formula turns the five ratings into a 0–100 number, so every score can be recomputed by hand. The occupation figure is the importance-weighted mean across 30 scored tasks. The prompt, the rubric, the formula and the full dataset are published at https://futureproof.collab365.com/method and https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1 under CC BY 4.0.

US dataswitch to UK

Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics

inspecting vehicles for damage and recording findings so that necessary repairs can be made, tearing down, repair and rebuild faulty assemblies and performing routine and scheduled maintenance services. If that's your week, this page is about your job.

The honest answer

AI changes the edges of this job, not the middle: testing and adjusting repaired systems to meet manufacturers' performance specifications is work software can't reach.

Your move: what you can actually do about this ↓

Where the work sits, by task weight

shifting to AI: 0%
changing shape: 8%
staying human: 92%

These bars are tasks changing hands, not people being counted out. The ledger below shows which.

Whole-job exposure score 8 out of 100 (6–13 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, across 30 scored tasks. The number is the support for the sentence above it, not a headline about anyone’s future.

How we know this

What is measured: Every published task statement for automotive service technicians and mechanics is rated on five dimensions: can a model produce the output, does the work need a body in a room, does it need a legally accountable person, does it depend on a person being trusted in the moment, and how much data exists. A published formula turns those five ratings into the score; the model never writes the number.

How the bar is built: Each task’s share of the bar is its published importance weight, so a task you do all day counts for more than one you do twice a year.

Release: 2026-q4.1, scores computed 2026-08-04. Read the full method.

What shifts is planning work procedures, using charts, technical manuals and experience: the paper around the work, not the work.

Your week, as this page understands it

Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul automotive vehicles. The job title says “automotive service technicians” or “mechanics”: officially one job, two names. The real job is the part underneath: testing and adjusting repaired systems to meet manufacturers' performance specifications. That is the thing someone has to be right about.

The exposed part of this job is specific, and we won’t pretend it is coming back. But automotive service technicians and mechanics is not one task. It is 30 scored ones, and they are nowhere near equally exposed. The most durable of them, on this evidence, is testing and adjusting repaired systems to meet manufacturers' performance specifications, and the ledger below shows exactly why.

Where the work sits, by task weight

shifting to AI: 0%
changing shape: 8%
staying human: 92%

These bars are tasks changing hands, not people being counted out. The ledger below shows which.

How we know this

How the bar is built: Each task’s share of the bar is its published importance weight, so a task you do all day counts for more than one you do twice a year.

Release: 2026-q4.1, scores computed 2026-08-04. Read the full method.

Your job, task by task

These are the official task statements for this occupation, in plain English, sorted by what the evidence says is happening to each one. The official wording sits under every line so you can check the rewrite against it.

One task scored differently between repeat runs, so its range on this page is wider. We would rather show the wobble than hide it.
4 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.

Shifting to AI

0 tasks

Tasks today’s tools can already do most of. This is the part we will not soften: where these rows are the bulk of your week, the week changes.

Nothing in this job’s scored task list landed in this group. That is the measurement, not an editorial choice, and it is worth knowing either way.

Changing shape

2 tasks

Tasks where the machine takes the producing and a person keeps the checking, the deciding, or the answering-for-it. For most jobs this is the biggest group, and it is where "transformation, not termination" is literally visible.

Planning work procedures, using charts, technical manuals and experience
The software now makes the first pass at work procedures, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Plan work procedures, using charts, technical manuals, and experience.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 56 out of 100 (49–63 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Working out the right repair sequence from manuals and charts is reading and reasoning, which software handles well.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Estimating costs of vehicle repair
The software now makes the first pass at costs of vehicle repair, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Estimate costs of vehicle repair.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 48 out of 100 (41–55 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Parts prices and labour times sit in databases, though the vehicle usually needs looking at first.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

Staying human

28 tasks

Tasks that stay with a person, because they happen in the physical world, because the rules need someone accountable, or because the value is that a specific person does them.

Inspecting vehicles for damage and recording findings so that necessary repairs can be made
This work happens in the physical world: vehicles, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 5 · Core
Source: “Inspect vehicles for damage and record findings so that necessary repairs can be made.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 8 out of 100 (4–12 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Someone has to be at the vehicle looking and feeling for damage; software can only help tidy up the written findings.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Testing and adjusting repaired systems to meet manufacturers' performance specifications
This work happens in the physical world: repaired systems, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Test and adjust repaired systems to meet manufacturers' performance specifications.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–7 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence, and it moved between repeat runs, so the range is widened.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Adjusting a repaired system means turning real parts by hand until the readings match the maker's specification.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Testing drive vehicles and testing components and systems
This work happens in the physical world: drive vehicles, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Test drive vehicles and test components and systems, using equipment such as infrared engine analyzers, compression gauges, and computerized diagnostic devices.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Test driving a car and hooking gauges to an engine needs a person behind the wheel and under the hood.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Repairing reline, replace and adjusting brakes
This work happens in the physical world: reline, replace and adjusting brakes, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Repair, reline, replace, and adjust brakes.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Brake work is hands-on: wheels come off, pads and lines are physically replaced and adjusted.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Reviewing work orders and discussing work with supervisors
The ratings behind this row put work orders well outside what today's tools can do on their own.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Review work orders and discuss work with supervisors.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 37 out of 100 (30–44 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Reading and sorting work orders is easy for software, but the quick check-in with a supervisor is still a person-to-person chat.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Performing routine and scheduled maintenance services
This work happens in the physical world: routine and scheduled maintenance services, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Perform routine and scheduled maintenance services, such as oil changes, lubrications, and tune-ups.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Oil changes and tune-ups mean draining fluids and swapping parts by hand.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Maintaining cleanliness of work area
This work happens in the physical world: cleanliness of work area, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Maintain cleanliness of work area.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Keeping the work area tidy is physical work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Aligning wheels, axles, frames, torsion bars and steering mechanisms of automobiles
This work happens in the physical world: wheels, axles, frames, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Align wheels, axles, frames, torsion bars, and steering mechanisms of automobiles, using special alignment equipment and wheel-balancing machines.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Wheel and frame alignment requires physically mounting the car on machines and turning adjusters.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

Show the other 20 tasks

Conferring with customers to obtain descriptions of vehicle problems and to discuss work to be performed and future repair requirements
staying human
The value here is that a specific person handles customers and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Confer with customers to obtain descriptions of vehicle problems and to discuss work to be performed and future repair requirements.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 21 out of 100 (17–25 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Customers are trusting someone with their car and their money, so the conversation depends on a person they believe.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 3/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Troubleshooting fuel, ignition and emissions control systems, using electronic testing equipment
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: fuel, ignition and emissions control systems, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Troubleshoot fuel, ignition, and emissions control systems, using electronic testing equipment.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 14 out of 100 (7–21 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: The reasoning about what the readings mean is very automatable, but the probes still have to be attached to the car.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Testing electronic computer components in automobiles to ensure proper operation
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: electronic computer components, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Test electronic computer components in automobiles to ensure proper operation.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 14 out of 100 (7–21 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Reading fault codes and interpreting them is something software does well, but the tester still has to be plugged into the car.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Following checklists to ensure all important parts
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: checklists, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Follow checklists to ensure all important parts are examined, including belts, hoses, steering systems, spark plugs, brake and fuel systems, wheel bearings, and other potentially troublesome areas.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 10 out of 100 (6–14 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: The checklist can be generated automatically, but belts, hoses and brakes still have to be looked at and touched.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Diagnosing and replacing or repairing engine management systems or related sensors for flexible fuel vehicles
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: engine management systems, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Diagnose and replace or repair engine management systems or related sensors for flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) with ignition timing, fuel rate, alcohol concentration, or air-to-fuel ratio malfunctions.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 10 out of 100 (3–17 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: The diagnosis part suits software, but replacing sensors and management units is hands-on work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Conducting visual inspections of compressed natural gas fuel systems to identify cracks
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: visual inspections of compressed natural gas fuel systems, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Conduct visual inspections of compressed natural gas fuel systems to identify cracks, gouges, abrasions, discoloration, broken fibers, loose brackets, damaged gaskets, or other problems.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 8 out of 100 (1–15 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Spotting cracks and abrasions on a gas system means being at the vehicle with your own eyes.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Aligning vehicles' front ends
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: vehicles' front ends, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Align vehicles' front ends.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Front-end alignment happens on a rack with the technician adjusting real components.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Tearing down, repair and rebuild faulty assemblies, such as power systems, steering systems and linkages
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: down, repair and rebuild faulty assemblies, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Tear down, repair, and rebuild faulty assemblies, such as power systems, steering systems, and linkages.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Stripping and rebuilding an assembly is physical work with tools and parts.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Tuning automobile engines to ensure proper and efficient functioning
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: automobile engines, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Tune automobile engines to ensure proper and efficient functioning.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Tuning an engine means adjusting the physical engine until it runs right.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Repairing, replacing or adjusting defective fuel injectors, carburetor parts and gasoline filters
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: defective fuel injectors, carburetor parts and gasoline filters, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 3 · Core
Source: “Repair, replace, or adjust defective fuel injectors, carburetor parts, and gasoline filters.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Injectors and filters have to be physically removed, cleaned or replaced.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Repairing and servicing air conditioning
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: air, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Repair and service air conditioning, heating, engine cooling, and electrical systems.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Servicing air conditioning, cooling and electrical systems means working on the components themselves.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Disassembling units and inspecting parts
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: units, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Disassemble units and inspect parts for wear, using micrometers, calipers, and gauges.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Taking units apart and measuring parts with micrometers is hands-on bench work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Changing spark plugs, fuel filters, air filters and batteries in hybrid electric vehicles
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: spark plugs, fuel filters, air filters and batteries, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Change spark plugs, fuel filters, air filters, and batteries in hybrid electric vehicles.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Swapping plugs, filters and batteries means opening the vehicle and fitting parts.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Overhauling or replacing carburetors, blowers, generators, distributors, starters and pumps
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: carburetors, blowers, generators, distributors, starters and pumps, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Overhaul or replace carburetors, blowers, generators, distributors, starters, and pumps.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Overhauling or replacing these components is physical work on the engine.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Repairing or replacing parts, pistons, rods, gears, valves and bearings
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: parts, pistons, rods, gears, valves and bearings, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Repair or replace parts such as pistons, rods, gears, valves, and bearings.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Pistons, valves and bearings have to be physically removed and fitted.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Rewiring ignition systems, lights and instrument panels
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: ignition systems, lights and instrument panels, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Core
Source: “Rewire ignition systems, lights, and instrument panels.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Rewiring means routing and connecting real cables inside the vehicle.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Installing, adjusting
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: hydraulic, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 3 · Core
Source: “Install, adjust, or repair hydraulic or electromagnetic automatic lift mechanisms used to raise and lower automobile windows, seats, and tops.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Window and seat lift mechanisms are fitted and adjusted by hand inside the vehicle.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Rebuilding parts, such as crankshafts and cylinder blocks
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: parts, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 4 · Supplemental
Source: “Rebuild parts, such as crankshafts and cylinder blocks.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Rebuilding crankshafts and engine blocks is heavy hands-on machining and assembly.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Repairing or rebuilding transmissions
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: transmissions, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance not published
O*NET hasn't yet published importance ratings for this occupation's tasks, so the ordering here is ours, not theirs.
Source: “Repair or rebuild transmissions.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Transmission work means lifting the unit out and rebuilding it physically.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Retrofiting vehicle fuel systems with aftermarket products
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: vehicle fuel systems, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance not published
O*NET hasn't yet published importance ratings for this occupation's tasks, so the ordering here is ours, not theirs.
Source: “Retrofit vehicle fuel systems with aftermarket products, such as vapor transfer devices, evaporation control devices, swirlers, lean burn devices, and friction reduction devices, to enhance combustion and fuel efficiency.” (O*NET task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Fitting aftermarket fuel-system parts means installing hardware on the vehicle.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.

What this job pays, and how many people do it

Median pay: $50,620a year, the middle of the range, so half earn more and half earn less.bls-oews, 2025 · May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx)
How we know this
Source: bls-oews
Reference period: May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx)
Rounding: Shown as published.
People doing this job: 704,640in the US, 2025.bls-oews · May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx)

What is deliberately not here: a forecast of how many of these jobs exist in ten years. Where an official projection exists for a market we publish it with its vintage; where it does not, we leave the space empty rather than borrow the other country’s number.

Why this is shifting

The reason is boringly specific. Most of what is shifting here is reading one thing and writing another: work procedures in, a record out. The rows above are exactly that shape: planning work procedures, using charts, technical manuals and experience. What it cannot do is be there in the room, and that is still where repaired systems get done. Which is why this page talks about your tasks changing, not your job ending.

Your move

Over a pint: what I’d tell you if you were my friend

Start with what does not change: testing and adjusting repaired systems to meet manufacturers' performance specifications is the middle of this job, and the evidence on this page says it stays with a person.

So, given all that: 0% of this job's task weight sits in rows the software is already learning, 8% in rows that change shape rather than disappear, and 92% in rows it is nowhere near. That is the position, measured across 30 scored tasks. It is not a forecast about you.

So the thing worth your attention is not the job going away. It is the layer around it. Planning work procedures, using charts, technical manuals and experience is the part turning into software, and being the person who understands that layer is worth money.

This week: one thing

Ask the one question. Find whoever is bringing new software into your workplace (the manager, the office, whoever runs the system) and ask them what it is meant to do to work procedures, and what it is not meant to touch. Ten minutes, this week, before anyone decides it for you.

What you end up holding: a straight answer about what is actually being rolled out, and when
How long it takes: ten minutes

If there’s nobody obvious to ask, or you’d rather not ask your manager: Put the same question to your union rep, your shift lead or the person who has been there longest, in person, over a break. Same ten minutes, same answer, and you will usually get a straighter one. Write down what they say. The note is the artifact, and it tells you whether repaired systems are in scope or not. Nothing to log into, no license needed.

Over the next 90 days

Get inside the tool rollout rather than waiting for it. Over the next ninety days, ask to be in the group that tests, checks or signs off whatever new system arrives near planning work procedures, using charts, technical manuals and experience. It is usually an unglamorous seat that nobody fights for, and it is the one that decides how the software is used on your job rather than to it.

Over the next 12 months

On this evidence I would not retrain out of this job, and I will say that plainly rather than hedge it. The task list here is dominated by work that stays with a person. What I would do with a year is get formally recognised for the layer around it (the systems, the compliance, the planning), so you are the one who understands the software instead of the one it is done to. Before you pay for anything, use CareerOneStop - Find local training. It is free, it is the Labor Department's own service, and it is listed below with the rest of the free routes.

The roads out of here, and why I am not sending you down them

I looked at the obvious moves out of this job, and here is what I found.

I checked the 12 nearest US occupations to automotive service technicians and mechanics (nearest by the work that AI is not taking, not by job title), and none of them survived. The closest was bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists: only about 19% of its durable work is work you already do. And on the numbers you do not need one. This job scores 8/100 here, with only 0% of the task list in the top band, and “inspect vehicles for damage and record findings” is not work that hands over cleanly. None of them beats deepening what you already have.

How that was checked: this job was compared against all 830 US occupations in this release on their official task statements, and the 12 nearest were examined one by one. A move that turns on an industry, an employer or a qualification rather than on the work itself will not show up in a check like that. And this release carries no licence register, so anything you are weighing needs that looked up separately.

3 moves I checked and rejected

These are the obvious-looking jumps. They are here with their reasons rather than quietly dropped, because the ones that fail are worth knowing about. It is one less thing to turn over at night.

Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour because one of your tasks is on their list in the same words: “rewire ignition systems, lights, and instrument panels”. Across the whole of both lists that adds up to about 19% of the work in that job the software is not taking.
Why I am not recommending it: You would be starting most of it from nothing: about 19% of the durable work in that job is work you do today, and the rest you would be learning while the bills carried on.
Look at that job’s page anyway →
Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour on the work AI is not taking: you already test and adjust repaired systems to meet manufacturers' performance specifications, and their equivalent is to test mechanical products and equipment after repair or assembly to ensure proper performance…. Across both published task lists that is about 8% of the durable work in that job.
Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 8% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step.
Look at that job’s page anyway →
Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour on the work AI is not taking: you already perform routine and scheduled maintenance services, and their equivalent is to perform routine engine maintenance on motorboats. Across both published task lists that is about 4% of the durable work in that job.
Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 4% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step. And it is a narrow door: about 23,220 of those jobs against 704,640 of yours (OEWS May 2025), 3% as many seats.
Look at that job’s page anyway →

What I’d stop worrying about

A friend tells you what not to spend fear on. This is that list.

The headline number you read somewhere
The big “X% of jobs” figures are about the whole economy, not about you. The number that describes your job is on this page: 0% of its task weight, across 30 scored tasks. Every row behind it is printed above with the source. Check ours; ignore theirs.
The headlines about your trade disappearing
They are usually about the technology, not the timetable. Changes to work like testing and adjusting repaired systems to meet manufacturers' performance specifications arrive through rules, insurance and money, slowly and visibly. This page tracks the task evidence and will move when it moves.
Retraining out of a job that is holding up
On this evidence I would not spend money leaving. Spend it on the layer around the job instead: the tools, the paperwork, the planning. That is where the change actually is.
The “obvious” next job everyone suggests
I checked the obvious moves and most of them did not survive. The reasons are printed with the routes above, including the pay and the gate. A move that fails on the numbers is worth knowing about so you can stop turning it over at night.

You are reading the United States figures

The United Kingdom splits this work across more than one official group, of which Vehicle technicians, mechanics and electricians is the closest. The pay and employment figures are not directly comparable, and we do not average them together.

Switch to the United Kingdom page →partial match

The other groups this work is counted across:

In UK official statistics this job is counted as Vehicle technicians, mechanics and electricians, Tyre, exhaust and windscreen fitters and Vehicle body builders and repairers. Pay is shown separately for each of those groups (medians cannot be averaged together), while the task list and the scores on this page are for this group only.

Your route through this

Where to go next, and what it costs

Free, and complete

The moves above cost nothing. These are the real services that go with them: public, government-funded, and free at the point of use. Nothing on this page is behind an email address or a payment.

Anywhere in the US:
CareerOneStop - Find local training
Search what's running near you, from the Labor Department's own database, before anyone sells you a course.
Free to search; individual programs vary, and some are funded
Anywhere in the US:
American Job Center locator
An American Job Center will sit down with you for free. Find yours by ZIP code.
Free
- CareerOneStop local help hub
Anywhere in the US:
CareerOneStop - Licensed occupations finder
Check what your state actually requires before you pay for anything.
Free
Anywhere in the US:
CareerOneStop
Free

Why there is no community here

Collab365, who build this site, run paid Spaces for a small number of subjects, and none of them is built for this job. We are not going to point you at the nearest one and call it a fit.

So the free services listed on this page are the whole answer, and it is the same answer we would give a friend.

Noted, and thank you. We’ll email you if a Space for automotive service technicians / mechanics launches. Nothing else.

That did not look like an email address, so nothing was saved. Have another go below.

We could not save that. The fault is ours, not yours, and your address was not stored. Please try again later.

No Space for automotive service technicians / mechanics yet. Should there be one?

Collab365 Spaces is built by the same people as this site. We find the problems that AI and automation are creating inside one kind of work, then solve them as short courses, briefings and Blueprints. Each Space is the community too, so the research and the people doing your job are in the same place.

What a Space actually is, in full

Collab365 launches new communities where the need is real. If one for automotive service technicians / mechanics existed, with researched problems, courses and people in the same boat, would you want in?

Your email

We use your email address for one thing: to tell you if a Space for automotive service technicians / mechanics launches. We never sell it, never use it for unrelated marketing, and every email has a one-click unsubscribe. Our privacy policy has the full version.

This unlocks nothing. Every figure, every row and every step on this page is already yours, whether you fill this in or not.

No deadline on any of this. The page will still be here, and the data is refreshed on a published schedule rather than when someone wants a headline.

Questions people ask about this job

Will AI replace Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics?: Not as a job, but it is already doing parts of the work. Across the 30 official task statements scored for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics (United States, SOC 49-3023), 0% of the importance-weighted core work is made of tasks today's AI could already do most of. The overall exposure score is 8 out of 100 (range 6–13, band: minimal). That is a statement about tasks, not about headcount: this measures what AI could do, not whether any employer adopts it, whether the law allows it, or whether doing the routine parts faster creates more demand for the human parts. Figures are from release 2026-q4.1.
Which tasks in “Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics” can AI already do?: The highest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Plan work procedures, using charts, technical manuals, and experience” (56/100, partial); “Estimate costs of vehicle repair” (48/100, partial); “Review work orders and discuss work with supervisors” (37/100, low). Each score comes from five published 0–4 ratings turned into a number by a published formula, and each carries the model's one-sentence reason on the page.
Which tasks in “Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics” stay human?: About 92% of this job's task weight sits in work that scores low for AI exposure. The lowest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Retrofit vehicle fuel systems with aftermarket products, such as vapor transfer devices, evaporation control devices, swirlers, lean burn devices, and fricti…” (0/100, minimal); “Repair or rebuild transmissions” (0/100, minimal); “Rebuild parts, such as crankshafts and cylinder blocks” (0/100, minimal). Low scores usually mean the task needs a body in a room, a legally accountable human, or trust built in real time. Those are the three things the scoring rubric treats as gates rather than obstacles.
What should someone working in “Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics” do about AI?: Start from the ledger rather than the headline: 0% of this job's weighted core work is exposed, and roughly 92% is not. The practical move is to spend more of your week on the tasks that score low, the ones above, and to get fluent at directing AI through the tasks that score high, because those are the parts that change whether or not you are ready for them. This page does not predict your job, and nothing here is career advice tailored to you: the score describes the occupation, not the person.
How is the AI exposure score for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics calculated?: Each official task statement for the occupation is rated on five published 0–4 dimensions (output replicability, physical embodiment, licensed accountability, real-time human trust, and data availability) by claude-opus-5 using scoring prompt task_scoring_v1.0. The model never writes the score; a published formula turns the five ratings into a 0–100 number, so every score can be recomputed by hand. The occupation figure is the importance-weighted mean across 30 scored tasks. The prompt, the rubric, the formula and the full dataset are published at https://futureproof.collab365.com/method and https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1 under CC BY 4.0.

Where these numbers come from

About the data on this page

One task scored differently between repeat runs, so its range on this page is wider. We would rather show the wobble than hide it.
The match between this job and its counterpart in the other country is partial, so the two pages count slightly different groups of people.
4 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.

Task statements: onet-dbProcessing: catalogue-bridge → onet-im-rt-weighting → task-scoring → score-aggregation
Task weights: onet-db (im-rt-with-imputed)
Scores: Rubric task_scoring_v1.0, model claude-opus-5, computed 2026-08-05.
Pay and employment: bls-oews (May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx))bls-oews (May 2025 estimates (national_M2025_dl.xlsx))

Figures on this page come from release 2026-q4.1, published 2026-08-05. Every release keeps its own permanent address, so a figure you cite in March is still there, unchanged, in November.

The plain-English wording on this page is assembled directly from the task statements and the published ratings, not written by hand for this occupation. That is why it is specific, and it is also why we say so.

The routes and free resources further up are today’s, not the release’s (last reviewed 2026-08-05). A route is an offer, not a historical fact, so it moves on its own clock.

How we score a job Download this release Look up another job

Using these figures?

Cite this

Everything on this site is published under CC BY 4.0. Quote it, chart it, sell something built on it. Just say where it came from, and cite the dated release rather than the site, so the figure you quote stays checkable.

Plain text

Collab365 (2026). Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1 (methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0). https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Built with O*NET data (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); ONS data (Open Government Licence v3.0); GAISI task framework (arXiv:2507.22748, MIT); BLS data (public domain).

BibTeX

@misc{collab365futureproof2026q41,
  title        = {Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1},
  author       = {{Collab365}},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1},
  note         = {Release 2026-q4.1, methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0, CC BY 4.0}
}

Permalink

https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1

Data as of release 2026-q4.1, published 2026-08-05. Releases never change after publication; when the figures move, a new dated release is published beside this one and this one stays exactly where it is.