Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles
Also called: Auto Tech (Automotive Technician), Car Stereo Installer, Electronic Technician, InstallerInstall, diagnose, or repair communications, sound, security, or navigation equipment in motor vehicles.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 3 of its 12 tasks, and jobs are projected to shrink 14.5% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 9.1 hires for every 10 job openings in retail trade, which employs about 52% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.9.1 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $38,520 | $37,600 to $39,830 | 70 |
| Arizona | $57,280 | $45,080 to $63,340 | 40 |
| Arkansas | $41,510 | $33,560 to $46,140 | 80 |
| California | $48,500 | $42,630 to $62,400 | 960 |
| Colorado | $60,070 | $48,600 to $62,070 | not published |
| Connecticut | $44,980 | $35,970 to $47,840 | 90 |
| Delaware | not published | not published | 50 |
| Florida | $47,980 | $44,310 to $57,280 | 660 |
| Georgia | $59,550 | $46,020 to $78,420 | 300 |
| Hawaii | $47,780 | $31,970 to $77,680 | 70 |
| Idaho | $55,760 | $46,590 to $59,630 | 90 |
| Illinois | $47,150 | $43,680 to $49,550 | 170 |
| Indiana | $56,730 | $47,350 to $60,900 | 470 |
| Iowa | $55,160 | $47,250 to $61,480 | not published |
| Kansas | $33,380 | $32,330 to $36,490 | 90 |
| Kentucky | $64,570 | $44,780 to $65,850 | 40 |
| Louisiana | $41,040 | $32,130 to $51,130 | not published |
| Massachusetts | $47,590 | $43,760 to $55,920 | 220 |
| Michigan | $48,070 | $43,620 to $52,690 | 80 |
| Minnesota | $49,740 | $47,770 to $62,190 | 250 |
| Mississippi | $38,500 | $31,930 to $42,390 | 90 |
| Missouri | $38,760 | $38,490 to $45,280 | 70 |
| Montana | $49,920 | $47,940 to $55,120 | 40 |
| Nebraska | $47,630 | $46,310 to $47,630 | not published |
| Nevada | $46,100 | $45,630 to $57,000 | not published |
| New Jersey | $41,070 | $41,070 to $47,240 | 170 |
| New Mexico | $49,300 | $37,750 to $59,340 | 160 |
| New York | $60,220 | $50,090 to $74,610 | 290 |
| North Carolina | $46,850 | $42,550 to $49,180 | 190 |
| North Dakota | $47,310 | $46,290 to $60,080 | 100 |
| Ohio | $45,120 | $40,110 to $47,490 | 230 |
| Oregon | $56,000 | $49,830 to $63,350 | 200 |
| Pennsylvania | $26,640 | $24,610 to $45,150 | not published |
| South Carolina | $48,230 | $41,080 to $50,490 | 230 |
| Tennessee | $49,140 | $47,800 to $51,730 | 210 |
| Texas | $48,730 | $44,760 to $59,820 | 1,210 |
| Virginia | $49,210 | $44,420 to $52,680 | 440 |
| Washington | $59,010 | $50,560 to $59,020 | 120 |
| West Virginia | $51,890 | $35,120 to $52,580 | 40 |
| Wisconsin | $38,070 | $35,710 to $49,160 | not published |
Nationally: $48,420. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 3 of its 12 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Inspect and test electrical or electronic systems to locate and diagnose malfunctions, using visual inspections and testing instruments, such as oscilloscopes and voltmeters. | Not published |
| Not much | Diagnose or repair problems with electronic equipment, such as sound, navigation, communication, and security equipment, in motor vehicles. | Not published |
| Not much | Splice wires with knives or cutting pliers, and solder connections to fixtures and equipment. | Not published |
| Not much | Replace and clean electrical or electronic components. | Not published |
| AI + software | Record results of diagnostic tests. | Not published |
| AI + software | Confer with customers to determine the nature of malfunctions. | Not published |
See all 12 tasks
| AI + software | Estimate costs of repairs, based on parts and labor charges. | Not published |
| Not much | Run new speaker and electrical cables. | Not published |
| Not much | Remove seats, carpeting, and interiors of doors and add sound-absorbing material in empty spaces, reinstalling interior parts. | Not published |
| Not much | Cut openings and drill holes for fixtures and equipment, using electric drills and routers. | Not published |
| Not much | Install equipment and accessories, such as stereos, navigation equipment, communication equipment, and security systems. | Not published |
| Not much | Build fiberglass or wooden enclosures for sound components, and fit them to automobile dimensions. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 0 of the 12 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 12 tasks fall under 15 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connect components or supply lines to equipment or tools | |||
| Repair electrical or electronic equipment | |||
| Confer with clients to determine needs or order specifications | |||
| Test performance of equipment or systems | |||
| Document technical designs, procedures, or activities | |||
| Estimate project development or operational costs | |||
| Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areas | |||
| Disassemble equipment |
Show all 15 activities
| Assemble equipment or components | |||
| Build structures | |||
| Inspect commercial, industrial, or production systems or equipment | |||
| Fabricate devices or components | |||
| Install commercial or production equipment | |||
| Drill holes in earth or materials | |||
| Join parts using soldering, welding, or brazing techniques |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- An explanation or answer22%
- A document or report16%
- Advice or a recommendation13%
- An email or message3%
- A plan or strategy2%
How they worked with Claude
63% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for electronic equipment installers and repairers, motor vehicles specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 1,091 moves out
- 1 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 6%
- 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 3 Management Analysts Very high +10.1% 5%
- 4 Human Resources Specialists Very high +6.4% 3%
- 5 Engineering Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 3%
Where people moved in from
of 1,036 moves in
- 1 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 9%
- 2 Retail Salespersons Very high -0.3% 4%
- 3 Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Low +1.8% 3%
- 4 Human Resources Specialists Very high +6.4% 3%
- 5 Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics Moderate +5.0% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 2% less than high school
- 45% high school
- 47% postsecondary certificate
- 1% some college
- 4% associate's
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 22 people answered.
1 program: Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician.
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
>80% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| an educational certificate | <0.5% | 2.8% |
| a license | not published | |
| a certification | not published |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 2 registered apprenticeships in this occupation (ELECTRICAL; ELECTRICIAN, AUTOMOTIVE). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
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