Automobiles are vehicles that use an internal combustion engine powered by a volatile fuel to provide propulsion. They are usually four-wheeled and designed for passenger transportation. The modern automobile is a complex technical system with many subsystems that require advanced engineering design and materials for safety and performance.
The scientific and technical building blocks for automobiles date back several hundred years. In the late 1600s, Dutch engineer Christiaan Huygens invented a steam engine sparked by gunpowder. The first modern self-propelled vehicles were powered by steam, electricity, and gasoline. Automobiles became more widely used as they became cheaper and easier to operate. They enabled people to commute to work from distant cities, to travel for shopping and vacations, to visit friends and family, and to conduct business over long distances.
The development of the automobile has had far-reaching social, economic, and political effects. It has changed the way people live and communicate, and it has impacted the environment in which they operate. It has also provided jobs in the manufacture of cars and in industries that supply parts, tires, and fuel.
Until recently, the only reliable way to get around was by car. Now, however, there are numerous alternatives to driving a car. Some of these options are more environmentally friendly than others, and they can still get you around. Many people now choose to take public transportation or ride a bike instead of driving an automobile. Whether you choose to drive or not, it is important to remember that automobiles contribute to air pollution.
As the United States developed as a nation, the automobile helped fulfill the American predilection for individual freedom of movement and action. It fueled the desire for families to move out away from city centers into suburban areas with their own houses surrounded by green grass lawns. It gave people the ability to work in one place and live in another, opening up a wider range of career possibilities and opportunities to be with family and friends.
When the automobile first came into use, it was extremely expensive and available only to the wealthy. Karl Benz of Germany and Wilhelm Maybach of Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft improved the automobile in 1885 and 1900, but their machines were not affordable until Henry Ford perfected his assembly line in 1910. His Model T runabout sold for less than the average annual income in 1912, making mass personal automobiles a reality.
Throughout the world, automobiles continue to undergo significant changes in design and engineering, driven by advances in technology and demands for better performance, economy, comfort, and safety. New designs and materials are continually being tested for their practicality and viability in the marketplace. Automobile manufacturers are experimenting with different body shapes and designs, electric and alternative power systems, and advanced control technologies. They are also looking to reduce emissions and meet increasingly stringent safety standards. Some of these improvements are based on government requirements, while others have been the result of consumer demand.