This work reviews the advanced engineering materials widely used in the aerospace and automotive industries, with specific emphasis on titanium, aluminium and their alloys. It shows that titanium alloys are being used extensively in aircraft engine parts, while aluminium and its alloys have found broad application areas in airframe structures and various vehicle components. Due to their superior mechanical and physical properties, aluminium matrix nanocomposites have been used in several demanding fields, and among them, Al-Al2O3 nanocomposites provide a lightweight material with better wear resistance and thermal stability at elevated temperatures. To produce Al-Al2O3 nanocrystalline powders, a high-energy ball milling process could be an effective but simple approach. A selective laser melting (SLM) process could be used to produce advanced Al-Al2O3 nanocomposites as it has the potential to create final parts in any complex shape but without waste. Although several challenges are inherent to this process, such as high reflectivity, high thermal conductivity and oxidation, the future of the SLM of Al-Al2O3 nanocomposites is promising as research continues to focus on addressing these problems.