An automobile is a wheeled vehicle that carries passengers, runs primarily on roads and has a motor and four wheels. Some definitions also include motorcycles and similar vehicles.
During the early twentieth century, automobiles greatly accelerated urbanization and suburbanization in America. They promoted outdoor recreation and brought related industries, such as service stations, restaurants and motels, to rural areas. Their introduction to the United States ended rural isolation, bringing city amenities like schools and health care to farm country (although it paradoxically made the family farm obsolete). The construction of highways, one of the largest government expenditures, peaked in the 1950s with the Interstate Highway Act.
The modern automobile is a complex machine that is a blend of engineering and technology with art and style. It is designed to provide a safe ride for its occupants while providing good handling and acceleration on the road. It is an extremely expensive mode of transportation, requiring significant annual maintenance and upkeep to keep it running properly.
Automobiles are powered by internal combustion engines that burn liquid fuels, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The engine is attached to a transmission that sends power from the engine to the wheels. The most common fuel is petroleum, called gasoline in American English.
Early automobiles were powered by steam, electricity and animal power. Various inventors developed designs for such vehicles, including Leonardo da Vinci, who created many drawings of different types of transport vehicles. During the late nineteenth century, several companies began producing automobiles on a large scale. Among these were Ford, General Motors and Chrysler. Henry Ford revolutionized the automobile industry by developing the assembly line and Model T, which allowed for mass production and made cars more affordable to the general public.
Pros and Cons of Automobiles
The pros of automobiles are their ease of use, flexibility, comfort and convenience. They allow people to go where they want and when they want, without having to wait for a bus or a train. They also give their owners a sense of independence and freedom that is not possible with other modes of transport. However, automobiles have their drawbacks, such as the fact that they produce air pollution if too many of them are used in a small area and can cause traffic jams. They are also expensive to operate, maintain and park.
The cons of automobiles are their environmental impact, safety issues and the fact that they require a huge amount of fossil fuel to run. They also emit carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas and contributes to climate change. Drivers can limit their emissions by driving a more efficient car and by limiting how far they drive. They can also reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by using other modes of transport, such as buses, trains (steam-powered, diesel-powered, monorail or light rail), bicycles and subways. They can also minimize their energy consumption by using a hybrid vehicle.