Skills it runs on
The capabilities O*NET rates most important for this occupation — the human ground the work is built on.
See all skills →Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
Occupation · SOC 49-3023.00
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul automotive vehicles.
Also called: Automotive Mechanic (Auto Mechanic) · Automotive Technician (Auto Tech) · Mechanic · Service Technician (Service Tech) · Automotive Drivability Technician (Auto Drivability Tech) · Automotive Service Technician (Auto Service Tech) · Diagnostic Technician (Diagnostic Tech) · Heavy Line Technician (Heavy Line Tech) · Lube Tech (Lubrication Technician) · Quick Service Technician (Quick Service Tech) · A/C Tech (Air Conditioning Technician) · AC Mechanic (Air Conditioning Mechanic)
Job family: Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
Take this to your AI
A source-stamped Markdown brief of this occupation — paste it into an agent, or fetch
/roles/role-49-3023-00/context.md directly.
AI work map
A fast read on where AI already shows up in this occupation, where it stays a copilot, where humans remain in the loop, and what the labor market is doing. Built from observed Claude.ai conversations mapped to O*NET tasks and from published research — measures of usage and exposure, not advice or predictions that the job is going away.
Market signal
Independent published positions, read together — not a forecast.
- About average employment outlook (+4.2% by 2034)
- 70,000 openings/yr
- Moderate AI exposure
- Median pay $49,670/yr
- Work is mostly on-site (not teleworkable)
- 2013 flagged this for computerization (50th); today's AI task-overlap is comparatively low (24th)
24th-percentile task overlap — yet about 70,000 openings a year (+4.2% projected, BLS) . What exposure means →
AI & job outlook
What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.
Exposure to current AI
Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.
| Measure | Rank vs all occupations | Percentile | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) Low | 20th | -1.0 | |
| LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) Low | 17th | 0.1 | |
| AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) Moderate | 41st | 0.1 |
OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.0), with simple added tooling (β 0.1), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.1). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.
This job mostly cannot be done remotely (Dingel–Neiman) — its hands-on tasks sit outside what software-based AI reaches.
Historical automation estimate (2013)
A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.
Frey–Osborne probability 0.6 · 50th percentile among occupations · Moderate
How AI is actually used in this job
Among measured AI assistant conversations mapped to this occupation (Anthropic Economic Index, 2026-01-15), these task types came up most. These are shares of observed AI conversations — not shares of the job, of worker time, or of what could be automated.
| Confer with customers to obtain descriptions of vehicle problems and to discuss work to be performed and future repair requirements. | 0.8% | |
| Estimate costs of vehicle repair. | 0.3% |
Job outlook
Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.
| Outlook | About average · +4.2% by 2034 |
| Projected annual openings | 70,000 |
| Employment 2024 → 2034 | 805,600 → 839,200 |
“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.
Where this work sits on the global GenAI gradient
The ILO's 2025 global study scores generative-AI exposure on the international ISCO-08 occupation system, not US SOC. Bridged through the published (and approximate, many-to-many) IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 crosswalk, this US occupation corresponds to the international occupation below. Exposure here means how much of the work's tasks today's AI can attempt — task overlap, not automation, adoption, or jobs lost.
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics sits at the 26th percentile of 427
occupations on the global GenAI task-exposure gradient
— exposure rose from 2023 to 2025. Each dot is one occupation; the
ringed one is this work. Exposure is task overlap, not automation or jobs lost.
18% mean task exposure (2025)
26th percentile of 427 placed occupations
+3 pts shift 2023 → 2025
| International occupation (ISCO-08) | Task exposure (2025) | Most tasks fall in |
|---|---|---|
| Motor Vehicle Mechanics and Repairers · 7231 | 18% | Not exposed |
Read the whole six-band gradient on the GenAI exposure gradient page. The crosswalk is approximate: a US occupation can map to several international ones, and the ILO scores describe the international occupation, not this exact US role.
Tasks
All 30 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.
- Inspect vehicles for damage and record findings so that necessary repairs can be made. Core · importance 4.6
- Test drive vehicles and test components and systems, using equipment such as infrared engine analyzers, compression gauges, and computerized diagnostic devices. Core · importance 4.4
- Test and adjust repaired systems to meet manufacturers' performance specifications. Core · importance 4.4
- Repair, reline, replace, and adjust brakes. Core · importance 4.4
- Review work orders and discuss work with supervisors. Core · importance 4.3
- Conduct visual inspections of compressed natural gas fuel systems to identify cracks, gouges, abrasions, discoloration, broken fibers, loose brackets, damaged gaskets, or other problems. Supplemental · importance 4.3
- Estimate costs of vehicle repair. Core · importance 4.3
- Confer with customers to obtain descriptions of vehicle problems and to discuss work to be performed and future repair requirements. Core · importance 4.2
- Align vehicles' front ends. Core · importance 4.2
- Align wheels, axles, frames, torsion bars, and steering mechanisms of automobiles, using special alignment equipment and wheel-balancing machines. Core · importance 4.2
- Tear down, repair, and rebuild faulty assemblies, such as power systems, steering systems, and linkages. Core · importance 4.1
- Perform routine and scheduled maintenance services, such as oil changes, lubrications, and tune-ups. Core · importance 4.1
- 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. Core · importance 4.1
- Plan work procedures, using charts, technical manuals, and experience. Core · importance 4.1
- Maintain cleanliness of work area. Core · importance 4.1
- Change spark plugs, fuel filters, air filters, and batteries in hybrid electric vehicles. Core · importance 4.0
- Repair and service air conditioning, heating, engine cooling, and electrical systems. Core · importance 4.0
- Disassemble units and inspect parts for wear, using micrometers, calipers, and gauges. Core · importance 3.9
- Test electronic computer components in automobiles to ensure proper operation. Core · importance 3.9
- Rebuild parts, such as crankshafts and cylinder blocks. Supplemental · importance 3.9
- Overhaul or replace carburetors, blowers, generators, distributors, starters, and pumps. Core · importance 3.9
- Repair or replace parts such as pistons, rods, gears, valves, and bearings. Core · importance 3.8
- Rewire ignition systems, lights, and instrument panels. Core · importance 3.8
- Troubleshoot fuel, ignition, and emissions control systems, using electronic testing equipment. Core · importance 3.8
- 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. Supplemental · importance 3.6
- Tune automobile engines to ensure proper and efficient functioning. Core · importance 3.5
- Repair, replace, or adjust defective fuel injectors, carburetor parts, and gasoline filters. Core · importance 3.5
- Install, adjust, or repair hydraulic or electromagnetic automatic lift mechanisms used to raise and lower automobile windows, seats, and tops. Core · importance 3.4
- Repair or rebuild transmissions.
- 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.
Work activities
- Operate transportation equipment to demonstrate function or malfunction.
- Inspect vehicles to determine overall condition.
- Record information about parts, materials or repair procedures.
- Test mechanical systems to ensure proper functioning.
- Adjust equipment to ensure optimal performance.
- Adjust vehicle components according to specifications.
- Replace worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
- Repair non-engine automotive or vehicle components.
- Estimate costs for labor or materials.
- Read work orders or descriptions of problems to determine repairs or modifications needed.
- Confer with coworkers to coordinate work activities.
- Troubleshoot equipment or systems operation problems.
- Confer with customers or users to assess problems.
- Align equipment or machinery.
- Test electrical circuits or components for proper functioning.
- Reassemble equipment after repair.
- Disassemble equipment for maintenance or repair.
- Service vehicles to maintain functionality.
- Inspect mechanical components of vehicles to identify problems.
- Plan work procedures.
- Clean work areas.
- Repair defective engines or engine components.
- Service heating, ventilation or air-conditioning (HVAC) systems or components.
- Repair worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
- Disassemble equipment to inspect for deficiencies.
- Service green vehicles to make repairs or maintain good working order.
- Rewire electrical or electronic systems.
- Install vehicle parts or accessories.
- Rebuild parts or components.
- Inspect gas systems or components to identify leaks or other potential hazards.
Knowledge, skills & abilities
O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).
Knowledge
| Mechanical | 4.8 | |
| Customer and Personal Service | 3.3 | |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.3 | |
| Engineering and Technology | 3.0 |
Abilities
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.9 | |
| Manual Dexterity | 3.9 | |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.8 | |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.8 | |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.8 | |
| Near Vision | 3.8 | |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.6 | |
| Control Precision | 3.6 | |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.4 | |
| Information Ordering | 3.4 | |
| Visualization | 3.4 | |
| Extent Flexibility | 3.4 | |
| Written Comprehension | 3.3 | |
| Flexibility of Closure | 3.3 | |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.3 | |
| Selective Attention | 3.3 | |
| Multilimb Coordination | 3.3 | |
| Oral Expression | 3.1 | |
| Time Sharing | 3.1 |
Transferable skills
| Repairing | 3.8 | |
| Troubleshooting | 3.6 | |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.5 | |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.4 | |
| Operation and Control | 3.3 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.3 | |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 | |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.1 | |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 | |
| Equipment Selection | 3.0 | |
| Systems Analysis | 3.0 | |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.0 | |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
Essential skills
| Critical Thinking | 3.5 | |
| Active Listening | 3.3 | |
| Monitoring | 3.3 | |
| Speaking | 3.1 |
Skills in demand
Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.
Tools & technology
Work context
How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.
How to get in
- Job zone
- Zone 3 — Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- Typical entry-level education
- Postsecondary nondegree award · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement
- Related experience
- Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
- Preparation level
- SVP (6.0 to < 7.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.
What to study: Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians , Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians . Fields of study crosswalked to this occupation (NCES CIP–SOC), not a requirement.
Education of current workers
Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 50.3% | |
| High School Diploma | 42.6% | |
| Some College Courses | 5.8% | |
| Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 1.4% |
Interests & work styles
The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.
Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)
| Realistic | 7.0 | |
| Conventional | 4.3 | |
| Investigative | 3.6 | |
| Enterprising | 1.6 |
Interest areas
Work styles
| Attention to Detail | 2.5 | |
| Dependability | 2.4 | |
| Perseverance | 1.8 | |
| Integrity | 1.6 |
Wages & employment
U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)
| 10th percentile | $33,660 |
| 25th percentile | $38,140 |
| Median (50th) | $49,670 |
| 75th percentile | $65,660 |
| 90th percentile | $80,850 |
| People employed | 688,840 |
Industries that employ this occupation
Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.
| Industry | Workers | National median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Trade · Sector | 349,330 | $49,140 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) · Sector | 242,800 | $48,330 |
| Wholesale Trade · Sector | 19,710 | $53,380 |
| Transportation and Warehousing · Sector | 14,500 | $62,670 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services · Sector | 8,340 | $48,010 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing · Sector | 6,110 | $49,560 |
| Manufacturing · Sector | 4,820 | $57,510 |
| Construction · Sector | 3,490 | $55,650 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation · Sector | 3,420 | $59,100 |
| Educational Services · Sector | 2,440 | $52,440 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector | 2,360 | $63,470 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises · Sector | 2,110 | $70,970 |
Where this work is most concentrated
Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).
| Industry | Concentration | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Other Services (except Public Administration) · Sector | 12.28× | 242,800 |
| Retail Trade · Sector | 5.01× | 349,330 |
| Ambulance Services · National industry | 1.28× | 940 |
| Farm and Garden Machinery and Equipment Merchant Wholesalers · National industry | 1.18× | 600 |
| Wholesale Trade · Sector | 0.73× | 19,710 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing · Sector | 0.58× | 6,110 |
| Utilities · Sector | 0.53× | 1,360 |
| Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation · National industry | 0.47× | 150 |
Related occupations
Part of the Supply Chain & Transportation career cluster.
- Rail Car Repairers · 49-3043.00 Compare →
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists · 49-3031.00 Compare →
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers · 49-2092.00 Compare →
- Motorcycle Mechanics · 49-3052.00 Compare →
- Engine and Other Machine Assemblers · 51-2031.00 Compare →
- Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians · 49-3051.00 Compare →
- Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door · 49-9012.00 Compare →
- Automotive Engineering Technicians · 17-3027.01 Compare →
- Automotive Body and Related Repairers · 49-3021.00 Compare →
- Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles · 49-2096.00 Compare →
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines · 49-3042.00 Compare →
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics · 49-9041.00 Compare →
Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.
What you can do with this
Options the data surfaces for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.
Skills that travel
Capabilities this work builds that are used across many other occupations.
Adjacent roles
Occupations O*NET rates as related — the nearby moves on the map.
Paths in
How people typically prepare for this work.
- Postsecondary nondegree award · typical entry level
- Job zone 3 — Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed · preparation tier
- Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians · field of study
- Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians · field of study
Zoom out
On the global GenAI exposure gradient this work sits around the 26th percentile of 427 international occupations.
Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics show 24th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 70,000 annual U.S. openings
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics rank in the 24th percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated.Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE
- The occupation is projected to see about 70,000 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- BLS projects employment to be about average (+4.2%) from 2024 to 2034.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- Median annual pay is $49,670, across about 688,840 U.S. workers.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
Copy the whole kit
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics show 24th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 70,000 annual U.S. openings • Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics rank in the 24th percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated. (Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE) • The occupation is projected to see about 70,000 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • BLS projects employment to be about average (+4.2%) from 2024 to 2034. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • Median annual pay is $49,670, across about 688,840 U.S. workers. (BLS OEWS (May 2024)) Source: Singulariki — "Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-49-3023-00 Note: AI task overlap measures what today's AI can attempt, not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
AssetsShare imageMethodology & sourcesPress & newsroomThe newsroom
Every line is built only from figures this page already shows and cites. AI task overlap means what today's AI can attempt — not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
Sources for this page
Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27) Anthropic
- Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
- ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
- IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
- Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
- Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic
Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Plain
Singulariki. "Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-49-3023-00
APA
Singulariki. (2026). Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-49-3023-00
BibTeX
@misc{singulariki-role-49-3023-00,
title = {Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-49-3023-00}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.