Automobiles are vehicles that have an engine that is fueled by gasoline, diesel, kerosene, or other fuel to turn the wheels of the car and propel it forward. A car can also be powered by electricity, solar energy, wind power, or other alternative energy. The automobile has been a major contributor to global economic development and it is one of the largest industries in the world. Over 4.25 million people work directly within the automobile industry. The car has also changed the way that people live. It has allowed people to travel longer distances and to have a greater freedom of movement. In the past, a person could only go so far on foot or by horse and buggy. Now a person can drive across the country or even around the world in their own car.
The first automobiles were called “horseless carriages.” They were basically just light buggies with engines. They were expensive, unreliable, and often dangerous. But in the late 19th century and early 20th centuries, automobile technology improved dramatically. Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler developed petrol-driven engines, Ransom Olds invented the concept of interchangeable parts, and Henry Ford introduced assembly line production. These developments enabled cars to become affordable for middle-class families.
Modern life is inconceivable without a car. Automobiles are in use in most countries and transport more than three trillion kilometres (five trillion miles) each year. There are currently over 1.4 billion passenger cars in operation worldwide.
Cars are used for transportation, leisure activities, and commercial transport. Some people own their own cars, while others rely on public transport or a taxi service to get around. The automobile has had many social and environmental impacts, including encouraging suburban sprawl, creating traffic jams, reducing air quality, increasing car accidents and fatalities, and contributing to the loss of wilderness. It has also encouraged new types of social behavior, such as dating and family relations that would not have been possible without the car.
Some of the most important factors in a good car are cost-effective manufacturing, straightforward design, and clear visibility. Most modern cars have front-wheel drive and a monocoque or unibody chassis with a transversely mounted engine. Other features include power steering, automatic transmission, electronic controls, and a variety of entertainment and comfort options.
An automaker’s goal is to make a vehicle that is appealing, technologically advanced, and safe. During the postwar period, however, engineering became subordinate to nonfunctional styling and questions about the social costs of automobile pollution and the draining of the world’s dwindling oil reserves surfaced. This opened the market to German and Japanese manufacturers that offered economical, functionally designed, well-built small cars with a high level of safety.
