In October 1931, the Department of Automobiles started its historical journey as a separate independent unit of our university. At the time of the creation of KhADI, its authorities organized ten departments, among which was the department “Automobiles and Engines”. Under this name the department existed until 1945. During the period from 1931 to 1941 the department “Automobiles and Engines” encompassed all the automotive disciplines that belonged to the Automotive (Mechanical) faculty. During the years 1934 - 1936, the department created the laboratory of internal combustion engines and car theory, as well as offices of car structures.
Much attention was paid to the improvement and development of facilities and resources of the department. In the 1930s, the studies in the field of calculation theory of internal combustion engines and transmission mechanisms of cars were conducted at the department.
For first decade of 21 century 44 workers have been working at the department, including 3 Doctors of Engineering Sciences, 5 professors, 13 Candidates of Engineering Sciences(11 of them are Associate professors), 2 assistants, 5 educational and support staff, and 12 engineers of the Racing Cars Laboratory.
Department has postgraduate school, where study for 4 to 6 of graduate students every year. Have been trained more than 50 Candidates of Engineering Sciences.
Employee Y. Charednychenko and V. Pilhui participated in the liquidation of the Chernobyl accident, the engineer of the department I. Andrieiev took part in the hostilities in Afghanistan.
Teachers of the department have conducted classes at 31 subjects with students of 3 full-time education faculties of colleges. In 1998 and 1999 the department studied 31 specialists with a new major “Automobile and tractor design”, 22 graduating students of Automobile and automotive industry at full-time and external from of education. For years of the department working have been studied a lot of automotive specialists who successfully work today in different areas and raise up fame of our university.
In 1997 was published monography “Increasing the braking efficiency of trucks and passenger vehicles with pneumatic brake drive” by A. Turenko, also teachers of the department published 6 training manuals. The staff of the department sees its future in the use of modern technologies and equipment. At the beginning of the 2000s, a CAD class began to operate, where students, starting from the first year and ending with diploma design, master the basics of computer-aided design of machines and mechanisms.
Under the leadership of A. Turenko at the department was designed and put into serial production to Volchansk aggregate plant family of pneumatic system devices of vehicle, that used by Lviv and Likinsky bus plants, Kremenchug car plant, trolleybus plant in Engels, Stavropol car trailer plant. Southern Machine-Building Plant (Dnipro) and other plants that maintain close creative ties with the department concerning the design of cars, buses, trolleybuses, trailers. The family of pneumatic braking actuators have a number of original creative solutions protected by fourteen patents of Ukraine and Russia and have characteristics equal to the best in the the world samples.
Employees of the department performed a full cycle of works on design development, production of prototypes and testing in bench and road conditions of brake force regulators, floor level regulators, pneumohydraulic clutch booster.
The “Development of theoretical and practical principles of creation and industrial development of a new generation of competitive, highly efficient and reliable devices of pneumatic systems of road vehicles” by A. Turenko, V. Klymenko, V. Bohomolov, L. Ryzhykh was awarded for State Prize of Ukraine in the field of science and technology.
Laboratory of racing cars team has achieved significant success, which has so far created more than 30 record-breaking racing and ring-road cars. The total number of records of cars with the brand "HADI" reached 36, and 9 of them are international achievements. Athletes of KhNADU in this period actively participate in the championship of Ukraine on road and ring races.
Students take an active part in the scientific work of the department and the creation of racing cars. Every year 5 - 6 diploma projects are defended with the development of racing car designs.
The staff members of Racing сars laboratory have achieved considerable success by creating more than 30 record-breaking and road-racing cars so far. The total number of records of “KhADI” cars has reached 36, and 9 of them are international achievements. During this time period, the sportsmen of KhNAHU have been actively participating in the Championship of Ukraine on ring-road races and winning prize places.
Students take an active part in the scientific activities of the department and the creation of racing cars. Annually, 5 - 6 diploma projects on the development of racing car designs are defended.
Nowadays, the best traditions of the Department of Automobiles started by Professor A. B. Hredeskul are not only preserved but also broadened.
In recent years, 15 monographs, 4 textbooks, 12 course books, 32 methodical guides on the disciplines have been published at the department. Courses of lectures on new academic disciplines such as “History of Engineering Activities”, “Applied Theory of Vibrations”, “Ergonomics and Design”, “CAD Fundamentals in Automotive Engineering”, “Technical Expertise of Motor Vehicles” have been developed. State Standard of Ukraine “Pneumatic actuators of road vehicles. Terms and definitions” has been prepared and published. 25 patents of Ukraine, 8 patents of Russia have been obtained.
Most of the professionals trained at the department work at industrial enterprises, commercial entities and government agencies. There are postgraduate and doctoral programs at the department.