The automobile, also known as a car or motorcar, is one of the most universal of modern technologies and an industry that has revolutionized human society. Usually four-wheeled and designed to carry between one and seven passengers, it runs mainly on roads using an internal combustion engine fueled mostly by gasoline (a liquid petroleum product). Automobiles are a major consumer of steel and oil, and provide one in six jobs in America. The industry has spawned related industries that supply the manufacture of automobiles, as well as many ancillary services like gas stations and convenience stores.
The first automobiles were developed in Germany and France toward the end of the nineteenth century by Gottlieb Daimler, Karl Benz, and Nicolaus Otto. In the United States, Henry Ford innovated mass-production techniques to produce the Model T runabout at a price affordable for the middle class. By the 1920s, American manufacturers like Ford, General Motors and Chrysler dominated the world automobile industry.
During this time, the automobile began to shape a new culture in America, giving people more freedom and independence. The ability to drive and own a car allowed people to live closer to their jobs, go on vacations or visit friends more often, or even move to another city for better job opportunities. The automobile also helped to improve infrastructure in cities and rural areas by developing better roads. And the demand for automobiles fueled many industries and created new jobs, such as steel production to make the cars and fuel, rubber and then plastics to provide tires, and oil and gasoline to power them.
The automotive industry has grown so large that it now encompasses many different types of vehicles, from passenger cars to truck and busses. The branch of Engineering that deals with the design, manufacture and technology of automobiles is called Automotive engineering.
Automobile accidents are a serious and sometimes fatal problem in the United States. Historically, they have been the result of the combination of poor road conditions, insufficient traffic regulations, and bad driving skills. However, the causes of car accidents can be much more complex than that. The safety of drivers and their passengers depends on the behavior of other drivers and the actions of pedestrians.
In the modern day, it is difficult to imagine a life without an automobile. There are 1.4 billion vehicles in operation worldwide, three trillion miles of which are driven each year in the United States alone. Most of these are passenger cars, but there are many special purpose vehicles, such as construction vehicles or forklifts. There are also a number of different classes of automobiles, such as electric and hybrid vehicles. All have their own advantages and disadvantages. But what is important is that all automobiles should be safe. This is the only way to ensure that the future of automobiles is a bright one. Hopefully, we will be able to reduce the number of injuries and deaths associated with them.