SAE International was founded by a small group of industry pioneers in 1905. As membership grew, the SAE Detroit Section was established in 1911 and has grown to become one of the largest in the Society with members from southeastern lower Michigan, including metropolitan Detroit, Ann Arbor, Jackson, and Toledo.

The fundamental purpose of SAE Detroit Section is to generate local activities that extend SAE benefits to members in their area. To achieve this, Vehicle Events are presented each year as well as various technical meetings, tours, and social events. To promote awareness for future members, the Section provides support to SAE student chapters at local universities. Additionally, individual members are active participants in educational programs for K-12 students. For additional information about local activities, please visit the Events and Tickets portion of this site.