Is automobile engineering knowledge important for every mechanical engineer?

"stress calculations, dynamics and kinematics, mechanisms, aerodynamics, energy conversions, recent developments, on the top of it the wallpapers of my car freak roommate."

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This is a dilemma that many Mechanical engineers face. When the knowledge of cars, bikes comes with obsession, it is way awesome. But what happens to those who aren't that interested. Is it always necessary for a mechanical engineer to be well versed with the subject of automobile engineering?  From my experience and observation, its a NO! Automobile engineering is a part of mechanical engineering but it's only a part. It's like suppose my area is games. So will it be mandatory for me to know cricket? The answer is only if I want to work with ICC or something aligned!

Knowledge is an asset which helps you one or other time. But to acquire knowledge depends on your interest. If you are interested to work with automobile giants then of course you should have sound know how of this subject. But then there are so many other areas like fm, tom, thermodynamics, designing & modelling softwares etc in mechanical engineering to work upon.

Of course you might face embarrassment when your father asks you the advantage of buying diesel car over petrol counterpart. But then use http://caredekho.com /cartreade.com or just google!!!!!