Automobiles are complicated machines with numerous systems that work together to power and control them. The heart of every car is its engine that generates the power that drives the wheels and provides electricity for lights and other systems. The vehicle also has many mechanical components that make it possible for a person to sit in the driver’s seat, steer and operate the brakes and gas pedals. The body of the automobile protects passengers and cargo from dirt and weather while providing a comfortable ride.
Having a car opens up new possibilities for people. They can travel to different places more easily, which enables them to expand their social circle and their work opportunities. Having a car can also save them money in the long run by avoiding the cost of public transportation and taxis. Having a car also allows them to avoid traffic jams and take alternative routes when construction or accidents cause delays.
The invention of the automobile changed the world in fundamental ways. It transformed the economic, political, and cultural landscapes of nations. It enabled the development of a vast and powerful global economy. The automobile has provided millions of jobs, from the workers who produce them to those who sell them or maintain them. It has also brought people closer together and opened up the possibility of interdependence.
The automobile has become a symbol of America and its culture. From the first Model T Fords to the artful mid-century modern designs that cruised U.S. highways and byways, the country’s very growth into an industrial powerhouse revolved around the automobile.
During the early years of its existence, the automobile industry was marked by fierce competition among small producers and wide variation in quality and price. The success of Henry Ford’s mass production techniques, introduced at his Highland Park, Michigan, plant in 1910, radically revolutionized automotive manufacturing. Ford’s four-cylinder, fifteen-horsepower Model T ranabout cost less than the average annual wage at that time and offered state-of-the-art design.
Automobile manufacturers have had to constantly adapt their production methods to changing economic, ecological and geopolitical factors. Automobiles require an enormous amount of raw materials, including metals, ores, glass, and many other natural resources. The sourcing of these materials is affected by factors such as the availability and price of oil, the political stability of oil-producing regions, and global demand for cars.
After the end of World War II, American car makers struggled to reconcile their desire for high unit profits with consumer demand for fuel-efficient, well-engineered, functionally designed vehicles. Engineering was often subordinated to the questionable aesthetics of nonfunctional styling, and quality deteriorated to such an extent that by the 1970s the average American-made car was delivered with twenty-four defects per unit.
Today, new technological advances have made automobiles safer and more environmentally friendly. Automakers are working to make electric cars that produce fewer emissions than gasoline-powered models, and they are also experimenting with vehicles powered by other sources such as solar panels.