What Does SAE Stand For And Why Is It Important?

If you've ever had to buy oil for your car, motorcycle, lawn mower, snowmobile, or any other internal combustion engine, you've likely encountered the SAE acronym — or what used to be an acronym, anyway. You may have even wondered what SAE stands for. After all, some automotive acronyms you probably already know, such as ABS, CVT, EV, SOHC, and DOHC, are prevalent in today's society.

It turns out, however, that SAE no longer stands for anything in particular, according to a blog posted by the organization at SAE.org entitled "2023 Reflections: It's Actually Just 'SAE.'" However, when the organization was formed in 1905, the letters stood for Society of Automobile Engineers. Early automobile manufacturing pioneers like Henry Ford and Andrew Riker, among others, saw the need for standardized methods in the burgeoning automotive industry.

As the use of the Society's standards spread to other mobility industries, such as aeronautics, engineers of those disciplines joined the organization. It became apparent that the Automobile in SAE excluded some of the organization's brightest prospects, so in 1917, it changed its meaning to the Society of Automotive Engineers in an attempt to include all forms of "self-propelled vehicles."

In 2006, in light of the ever-changing landscape of manufacturing and the global reach of the organization, the Society once again updated its name. The new name, SAE International, seems likely to stand the test of time, at least for some time.

Your first encounter with SAE might occur on the engine oil aisle of your local auto parts store, but you'll see it again when buying wrenches and sockets for your DIY garage mechanic toolbox. The threaded fasteners that hold the majority of mechanical components together have standardized hexagonal heads in fractional-inch or metric sizes. While the inch sizes are often referred to as SAE, in reality, nearly all common threaded fasteners adhere to SAE International standards.

Among SAE International's newest endeavors is Sustainable Mobility Solutions, an effort to standardize EV charging connections across North America. Another partnership in the autonomous technology sector earned recognition from industry leaders like former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates. While Gates applauded SAE International for its work to standardize the Levels of Driving Automation, he inadvertently called the organization the Society of American Engineers. Yet another reason to stick with, "just SAE."

In today's global economy, standardized manufacturing processes are more important than ever. Imagine the complex mechanics involved with stopping your car on a rain-slick highway as an animal steps onto the roadway. It's critical that the myriad of sensors, cameras, actuators, and assemblies manufactured around the world work together for safe motor vehicle operation. It'll be even more critical as we depend on the cars of the future to navigate our roads safely without human intervention.