For the uninitiated, Automation is split into two distinct, deeply intertwined halves: the Engineering Sandbox and the Tycoon Mode.
Version v4.2.13 acts as a crucial bridge, fixing long-standing UI bottlenecks in the tycoon layer and introducing finer granularity to factory management that veteran players have begged for since the early beta days.
Automation - The Car Company Tycoon Game v4.2.13 is not for casual players who want to slap a V12 on wheels and win. It is a simulation for simulation's sake, and it wears that badge with pride. Automation - The Car Company Tycoon Game v4.2.13
Pros:
Cons:
You begin with a tiny budget, a dilapidated shed, and the ambition to sell cars to a post-war world. You must choose a market segment: cheap "People's cars," rugged "Utility" vehicles, or aspirational "Luxury."
Using the engine designer, you are limited by 1940s technology. Carburetors, pushrods, drum brakes. You spend an hour meticulously tuning the suspension bushings and gear ratios to get a "Refinement" score high enough to beat the AI’s baseline sedan. For the uninitiated, Automation is split into two
Version 4.2.13 includes the "Factory" tycoon mode, which replaced the older, broken campaign. You now manage production lines, factories on different continents, quality control, and marketing budgets.
What works: The production line simulation (choosing automation levels vs. labor) and global supply chains are interesting. You can feel the influence of games like Factorio here. Setting up a factory to build 250,000 units annually across three shifts feels rewarding. Version v4
What doesn’t: The tycoon layer remains shallow compared to dedicated management sims. Competitor AI is rudimentary—they don’t seem to dynamically engineer new cars, just spawn generic rivals. The market simulation, while improved, still produces odd results (e.g., a 900hp hypercar selling well in a recession). It’s functional for context, but most players with 100+ hours still spend 90% of their time in the sandbox.