Toward an Autonomous Vehicle-Ready Workforce: Connecting Transportation Engineering with Core Competencies in Engineering and Computer Science

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are reshaping the transportation landscape and creating a growing demand for engineers with interdisciplinary expertise that bridges traditionally siloed domains. However, a review of existing AV-related workforce development programs shows that current engineering curricula often fail to integrate essential transportation engineering topics into core AV knowledge areas, such as electrical engineering, computer science, and mechanical engineering. This gap limits graduates’ preparedness for careers in AV development, deployment, and operations. In this study, current AV workforce development initiatives are reviewed, industry needs and technological trends are analyzed, and the core competencies required for AV systems are identified. Building on these insights, a comprehensive curriculum framework is proposed that introduces critical AV-related topics across engineering disciplines, with a particular emphasis on integrating transportation engineering concepts. The proposed framework combines theoretical foundations, systems-level thinking, and hands-on learning to prepare a workforce capable of addressing the technical, operational, and societal complexities of autonomous mobility. This interdisciplinary model provides a strategic roadmap for aligning engineering education with the rapidly evolving future of connected and automated transportation.