Automobiles are four-wheeled, motorized vehicles designed to transport people. They usually have an internal combustion engine (also known as a motor) that converts chemical energy into mechanical energy to turn the wheels. The amount of energy the motor delivers to the wheels is measured in kilowatts or horsepower.
A car has many different systems that work together to power the vehicle, control it and make it comfortable for people to ride in. The engine, transmission, electrical and safety systems are all important parts of a car.
Most automobiles are powered by gasoline, but they can also be powered by diesel fuel, kerosene, electricity or alternative fuels. The engine burns the fuel to produce energy, and then uses a transmission system to send this energy to the wheels. The amount of energy the engine can deliver to the wheels is measured in kilowatts (or horsepower).
The first automobiles were invented and perfected by engineers in Germany and France toward the end of the nineteenth century. Karl Benz was the first to produce and sell a prototype, and others followed with their own designs. Henry Ford then revolutionized the industry by innovating mass production techniques at his Highland Park, Michigan plant. His Model T runabout sold for less than the average annual income at the time, putting automobiles within reach of most middle-class Americans.
With the advent of automobiles, more people could afford to live outside of urban centers and enjoy the benefits of a rural lifestyle. They could also travel to work and visit friends or relatives, shop at stores, go to movies or restaurants, and attend recreational activities like sports or concerts. They could also take vacations by traveling to tourist destinations.
Today, most Americans own a vehicle. Millions of people work in factories that produce cars, and millions more have jobs at gas stations, restaurants or motels where travelers stop. However, the automobile has brought many problems, including pollution, traffic accidents and loss of rural land to build highways.
The most obvious benefit of owning a car is the freedom it provides to get from one place to another quickly and conveniently. People who work far from home, or who have to travel long distances for recreational or business reasons, can use a vehicle to save time and money that they would spend by riding a train or bus. In addition, the ability to cross town in a matter of minutes means that shopping and visiting friends and family is much faster than if they had to travel on foot or by bicycle. For these reasons, most people consider a car a necessity. In fact, more than 90 percent of American households own at least one car. Many suburban and rural areas are not within walking distance of a store, so a vehicle is often the only way to access goods and services. Moreover, most people consider it more convenient to have their own transportation than to depend on someone else’s, which may be unavailable when needed.