Automobiles are motor vehicles that combine the power of an engine, a transmission and wheels to drive the vehicle. The energy that makes the engine run is provided by a fuel, usually petrol (gasoline in American English). When an automobile gets moving, the power that moves its wheels is sent through a gearing system to increase or decrease the speed of the car. The total amount of energy that the car is able to send to its wheels is measured in horsepower.
Scientists and engineers have been working on the basic principles of automobiles for several hundred years. The modern automobile combines many different technologies and has become one of the most important products in the world. It is also a significant driver of change in society.
Until the early twentieth century, cars were expensive toys for the wealthy. Breakdowns were common, roads suitable for driving were scarce and the rapid pace of innovation meant that a year-old model was nearly worthless. Two milestones helped to establish the automobile as a practical and useful mode of transportation: Bertha Benz’s successful long-distance drives in her husband Karl Benz’s prototype vehicles, and Horatio Nelson Jackson’s transcontinental drive in 1903 on a Winton automobile.
After these pioneering experiments, the development of the automobile became a race against time to produce efficient engines and affordable cars. Gottlieb Daimler, Nicolaus Otto and Emile Levassor of Germany, Karl Benz of Switzerland and Armand Peugeot of France all produced gasoline-powered vehicles. However, it was Henry Ford of the United States who revolutionized the automobile industry by introducing mass production techniques at his Highland Park plant in 1910. Ford’s Model T ran about a quarter of the price of its European competitors, making the automobile a feasible option for middle-class families.
The automobile allowed people to live in a city and work in another, increasing the number of jobs available and giving people the freedom to spend more of their lives with family and friends. The automobile also increased leisure activities such as tourism, sports and recreation, restaurants, fast food and entertainment. However, it also led to new laws and requirements for safety features, air pollution and traffic congestion.
The automobile has been a catalyst for change in society, allowing women to move into careers traditionally held by men and providing the means of transportation for large families. It is also the backbone of America’s consumer goods oriented economy and one of the largest users of raw materials such as steel and petroleum. In the 1920s, the automotive industry ranked first in value of product and provided one out of six jobs in the nation. It has also helped develop ancillary industries, such as the steel and petroleum industries. The automobile has also brought about the growth of the suburbs and changes in family size and structure, requiring more space for living and working. This has created demands for new housing, schools, shopping malls and other amenities.