The automobile, also known as the car, is a four-wheeled vehicle for carrying passengers and propelled by an internal combustion engine using a volatile fuel. Its design is complex and includes many subsystems with specific design functions. The modern automobile is a product of a long history of technological development that began in the late 1800s. It is a symbol of the promise and the perils of our times.
Karl Benz is widely credited with inventing the first modern automobile around 1885. His Benz Patent-Motorwagen used a four-stroke type of internal combustion engine to power the car’s wheels. It was the first car to be mass-produced and sell well. From the 1880s to about 1910, most automobiles were custom-built for wealthy people by skilled craftsmen and sold at high prices. By the late 1950s, Ford and others had made affordable cars available to a large number of middle-class Americans. The car allowed them to travel longer distances to work, play and shop. It also opened up new opportunities for social interactions.
Automobiles have had a profound effect on society and culture. They have enabled people to live in different areas and have changed the way families, friends and businesses are organized. They have allowed people to take vacations and visit relatives in distant cities. They have created jobs for people to build and repair them, as well as to make the fuel and other supplies they need. The automobile has also increased the freedom of individuals to choose how they spend their free time.
From the 1930s to about 1970, the automotive industry was dominated by the big companies that produced sedans and large pickup trucks. These automobiles accounted for most of the sales in the U.S., but they were also responsible for increasing air pollution and draining dwindling world oil supplies. In addition, their engineering was often subordinated to questionable aesthetics and nonfunctional styling. In the 1970s, American car makers began to focus on smaller models and better quality.
The word “automobile” is derived from the Greek prefix “autos” (self) and Latin “mobilis” (“moving”) because they do not need horses or other animals to pull them along. They are a very efficient means of transport, but they are expensive and pollute the environment.
The main component of an automobile is the chassis, which holds all the other major parts. The body is the outer shell that protects the passengers and other mechanical components. The engine is what makes the vehicle move. It is powered by an internal combustion of a liquid or solid fuel, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene or coal. The engine creates power by exploding the fuel in a cylinder and then pushing it down and turning the car’s wheels. A driver operates the vehicle by pressing on pedals to start, stop and steer it. The steering system consists of a wheel, a directional lever and a brake pedal. All these systems interact to make the automobile work correctly.