Cost, power, safety and more

Automotive engineers heading for this year's SAE World Congress sound off on the hottest trends and greatest challenges facing the industry.

For the third year in a row, relentless cost pressures top the list of issues facing automotive engineers in their jobs, according to the 2006 SAE /DuPont Engineering Survey.

Alternative powertrain development, vehicle safety, advanced electronic/electrical programs, and fuel efficiency technologies round out the top five areas of professional focus, as noted by the engineers surveyed.