Automobiles – The Symbol of Modern Times
Automobiles are the four-wheeled vehicles that most people own and use to get them from point A to point B. They are a major mode of transportation that has transformed society. It gives people the freedom to travel distances that would not have been possible before. This freedom opens up new work opportunities and expands social circles. It also means that people can live in one place and work in another without having to depend on others for transportation. The automobile is the symbol of modern times.
An automobile is a wheeled vehicle designed primarily for the transport of passengers rather than goods. It is usually propelled by an internal combustion engine using a volatile fuel. It consists of many subsystems and components, all designed to perform specific functions.
The basic design concept is a chassis with wheels that are attached to an engine and transmission that converts the power from the engine to movement of the wheels. The engine may be gasoline, diesel, kerosene, steam, or electricity. The amount of energy converted to motion depends on the type of fuel used and how fast the engine runs. This is measured in horsepower or kilowatts.
Early cars were powered by electricity, a steam engine, or by a mixture of oil and coal. The development of the internal combustion engine sparked the revolution of the automobile industry. Cars could now be mass produced using the assembly line method. Industries developed to supply the new demand for parts and services, such as oil, rubber and plastics.
As the industry grew, there were problems with safety and pollution. Automobiles were causing a drain on the world’s petroleum resources and environmentalists began to criticize the “gas guzzling” cars. Then, after World War II, production of automobiles slowed to a crawl and technological advances were limited.
Today, cars are still the most popular form of personal transportation. There are about 59 million different cars in the world, and most of them have an internal combustion engine. In the future, there are predictions that they will eventually be replaced by hybrid and electrical vehicles as the world moves away from fossil fuels.
Other names for automobiles include a motor carriage, a motor wagon, a steam car, a phaeton, and a charabanc. The word comes from the Latin term automobilis, meaning self-moving. The first true automobiles were made in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The automobile exploded into popularity in the United States after World War I. It gave families the freedom to travel, and it encouraged people to leave urban areas to rediscover pristine landscapes. It helped couples to date with more ease and expanded social circles. This freedom also led to new family activities like picnics, road trips and family vacations. It even prompted some young teens to rebel against parental supervision by taking their friends out on the road. This freedom is now taken for granted, but the downsides of it are many.