1. Pasta Race Cars Applying automotive engineering in the elementary classroom

2. What do automotive engineers do?  Design and test vehicles for:  Performance  Safety  Durability  Cost

3. Vehicle Performance  Automotive engineers focus first on the vehicle’s performance.  This means that they want to make sure that the vehicle will move the way they want it to move.  Automotive engineers have to consider the design of the vehicle and how it affects the way the vehicle moves.  Look at the next slide and see if you can figure out which vehicle was designed to move fast and which was designed to move slow.

4. Fast or Slow Design? School BusSports Car

5. Vehicle Safety  The next thing that automotive engineers need to consider is a vehicle’s safety.  This means they have to think about how the vehicle will react in the event of an accident.  Safety is very important when it comes to choosing the materials used to build the car.  Automotive engineers’ goal is to design a vehicle that is safe for its passengers and can withstand great impacts.  Look at the next slide and see if you can figure out which vehicle would be the safest.

6. Safe or not safe?

7. Vehicle Durability  Automotive engineers must also consider the vehicle’s durability.  This means that they must design a vehicle that will last a long time.  When thinking about a vehicle’s durability, automotive engineers put their vehicle through numerous tests to see if the vehicle can withstand driving for long periods of time, outside weather conditions, and exposure to salt which can cause rusting.  Look at the next slide and see if you can figure out which vehicle is durable and which is not.

8. Durable or not durable?

9. Vehicle Cost  Finally, automotive engineers have to consider the vehicle’s cost.  This means that they have to think about all the materials used to make the vehicle and determine if they will be able to sell it and still make profit.  Automotive engineers are very careful about their spending. If they are not certain they need something, they will take their time to reason out before they buy.  They also have to consider the cost of the vehicle after a consumer has purchased it. How much will it cost someone to fill up the gas tank? How long will a tank of gas last? How much will it cost them to maintain the vehicle?  Look at the next slide and see if you can figure out which vehicle is the most cost-friendly.

10. Cost-friendly or not?

11. Today’s Engineering Challenge  Today you will work with your group to design a race car made out of different types of pasta and playdough.  Your group will have a time limit of 1 hour to buy your materials, build your car, test your car, and make any changes.  At the end of the hour, your group will test your race car by rolling it down a ramp to see which group’s car will travel the farthest off the ramp.  You will have a budget that you will spend on pasta to build your car.  Make sure your group has a plan for your car and the supplies you need before you start buying.  Good luck!