Automobiles are land vehicles that have four wheels and use an engine or motor to make them move. They are usually able to carry a driver and a few additional passengers. They are often referred to as cars but they can also be called trucks, vans, lorries or buses.
The modern automobile is a complex technical system with many different functions. Its basic parts include the engine, the transmission, the brakes and the wheels. Its power comes from burning a fuel, typically gasoline (petrol in British English). The wheels are powered by the motor, which converts the chemical energy of the fuel into mechanical motion.
In the beginning, automobiles were expensive to buy and operate. They were also largely the preserve of wealthy people. But, as the industry developed, it became possible to produce cars in large numbers at relatively low prices. This opened the market to middle-class Americans and helped to bring the automobile within reach of many ordinary families. Automobiles also helped to change society and create new industries and jobs. For example, manufacturers of tires and other automotive parts grew as did companies to provide automobile services like repair shops and gas stations. In addition, people began to commute long distances, which gave rise to cities with large suburban areas.
As time went by, the automobile developed faster in America than in Europe. This was partly because America had a much larger population and more extensive transportation systems than most European nations did at that time. It was also because the nation’s industrial tradition of mass production encouraged it to rapidly develop and perfect a car manufacturing industry.
The first modern automobiles were built in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Some were steam powered, others used electric power and still others ran on gasoline. The gas-powered cars, which were the most popular in 1900, came in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Many had few of the features we take for granted today such as a windshield, rearview mirrors and turn signals.
One of the most important changes caused by the development of the automobile was that women began to drive and this was a huge step forward for them. In the 1910s and 1920s, there was a push for women’s rights and two women, Nell Richardson and Alice Burke, made a cross country trip in their automobile to promote this cause. They decorated their car with “votes for women” banners.
Although the automobile was invented in Europe, the United States dominated the world’s automotive industry for most of the 20th century because of Henry Ford and his invention of the moving assembly line. This allowed him to produce the Model T at a price lower than anyone else had done before and to make a large number of them each year. In fact, the Model T was so successful that by 1927 it had sold over 15 million units. This was an extraordinary achievement and a major factor in changing American culture.