Automobiles
Automobiles are four-wheeled vehicles designed primarily for passenger transportation and commonly propelled by an internal combustion engine using a volatile fuel. Modern automobiles are complex technical systems employing many subsystems with specific design functions, and the development of automobile technology has accelerated by breakthroughs in related technologies, including electronic computers, high-strength plastics, and new alloys of steel and nonferrous metals.
Early automobiles were powered by steam engines, which made them slow and hard to control. The gasoline-powered automobile, invented in the late 1800s, allowed people to travel faster and more comfortably. It also contributed to suburbanization and the growth of leisure activities, such as tourism and roadside restaurants and hotels. It also led to the establishment of government regulations and infrastructure, such as highways, street signs and traffic lights. The automobile ended rural isolation and brought urban amenities, such as better medical care and schools, to rural America. It also stimulated the growth of new industries, such as motor-car accessories and automotive repair shops.
In the United States, where automakers enjoyed unprecedented seller’s markets for a high-ticket consumer good, there was an especially strong incentive to produce cars in great numbers. The availability of cheap raw materials and a long tradition of American manufacturing helped to speed up the process, too.
By the end of the 1920s, most of the original hundreds of car producers had disappeared or were struggling to survive under the pressure of mass production techniques pioneered by Ford. The heavier outlays of capital required for this new method of production forced the remaining companies to limit their product lines and focus on price competition, quality, and efficiency.
The automobiles produced by the big American firms, which accounted for about 80 percent of all vehicles sold in 1929, were generally expensive and not particularly fuel-efficient. They burned a lot of gasoline, which meant they produced a lot of air pollution. They were also a major drain on dwindling world oil supplies. The industry’s focus on selling units rather than ensuring their safety and durability had serious negative social consequences.
Although it is unclear who actually invented the automobile, the term was first used by the New York Times in 1908. The credit for this goes to a 14th Century Italian painter and engineer named Martini, who drew designs for a man-powered carriage with four wheels and an engine.
One of the most important benefits of owning your own automobile is independence and freedom. If you rely on public transportation or a taxi service to get around, missing your ride can throw off your entire schedule. You also have to worry about leaving enough time to make it to your bus stop or airport on time. But if you have your own vehicle, you can set your own schedule and be on your way to work or school whenever you want.