Automobiles, also known as cars are four wheel motor vehicles that use an engine or motor to move, usually powered by gasoline, a liquid fuel. They are one of the most common forms of modern transportation and are used around the world in large numbers. There are many different types of automobiles, ranging from sports cars to trucks and buses. An automobile consists of several components, including an engine, transmission, chassis, bodywork, control system and service devices. The engine is the core of the vehicle and it can be powered by various fuels, such as petrol (gasoline), diesel, balloon gas or electric power. The transmission is a set of gears that transfers the power from the engine to the wheels, driving them forward or backward as required. The chassis connects the wheels to the rest of the car and provides stability, handling and ride comfort. The bodywork covers the chassis and contains the passenger compartment and other amenities. Service devices are the electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems that keep the automobile running.
Whether it’s to get to work, school or an important social event, having your own automobile is one of the best things you can do for yourself. It will make it easy to get where you’re going and it can help you save time by not having to rely on others or wait for public transportation. If you’re an efficient driver, your automobile can even cut down on your fuel costs.
In the early 19th century, European inventors were perfecting steam-powered road vehicles, including wagons that had a small steam engine attached to them and phaetons that were like horse-drawn carriages with a small steam engine. The United States was slower to adopt the automobile, but Henry Ford introduced assembly line production techniques in 1908 and brought the Model T within the financial reach of middle-class American families.
The United States has a much larger land mass and a greater proportion of rural settlements than Europe, which gave it an advantage in developing the automobile industry. Cheap raw materials and the absence of tariff barriers encouraged mass production, which reduced the cost of automobiles.
Toward the end of the 19th century, German automotive pioneers such as Gottlieb Daimler, Karl Benz and Nicolaus Otto developed more advanced internal combustion engines that made automobiles more reliable and faster than ever before. American engineering in the postwar era was often subordinated to questionable styling and nonfunctional design, which increased unit profits but came at the price of increased air pollution and a drain on dwindling world oil reserves.
Modern life has become almost inconceivable without access to a private automobile. The world’s automobile production now exceeds five million units each year, including commercial vehicles. An automobile is the most popular form of transportation, and it contributes to the economy by providing jobs for manufacturing, distribution, sales and maintenance. The average person drives 4.8 trillion kilometers or three billion miles in an automobile each year, and it is one of the most popular consumer goods.