Automobiles, also known as cars or motor vehicles, are self-propelled road vehicles designed to transport passengers. They typically have four wheels and are powered by internal combustion engines, most often gasoline. An automobile has many advantages over other forms of transportation, and is the world’s most popular form of personal transportation. Some of its disadvantages include high operating and maintenance costs, a dependence on fossil fuels, and environmental impacts. However, it provides a sense of freedom and independence that few other forms of transportation can match.
Automobile design depends primarily on its intended use. Products for off-road use must have robust systems that resist severe overloads and extreme conditions, while products for use on limited-access highways need passenger comfort features and optimized high-speed handling. Vehicles are designed to optimize the weight distribution of the car, its center of gravity, suspension characteristics, engine performance and size, the placement of control devices, safety systems and other technology. The automotive industry is one of the most global of modern technologies, and production has moved from a few large manufacturers in the United States during the 1920s to hundreds of brands worldwide today.
The American economy’s reliance on consumer goods, combined with cheap raw materials and the development of the assembly line manufacturing process, made it easier for automobile manufacturers to produce mass-produced vehicles at lower prices than their European counterparts. These factors contributed to the dominance of Ford, General Motors and Chrysler in the first half of the 20th century. After that, the automobile became the backbone of a new consumer goods-oriented society and prompted a massive shift in economic priorities.
In the early 21st century, the automobile is one of the world’s largest and most universally popular consumer goods, with an estimated 1.4 billion in operation. It is the primary means of transportation for most families in developed countries, and more than three trillion miles (five trillion kilometres) are driven by them each year. It is a key component of the global economy, providing jobs in transportation and ancillary industries such as petroleum, steel and glass. It has also become a major source of pollution and a major contributor to greenhouse gases.
Pros:
Automobiles are a convenient way to travel long distances, and allow people to live in one place while working or going to school in another. They can also open up career and social opportunities that may not be available otherwise. Cons: Automobiles pollute the air with carbon dioxide, which is a contributor to climate change. It can be difficult to park in crowded areas, and there is a high cost associated with owning and maintaining an automobile.
Cars require a lot of resources to manufacture and operate, including metals, plastics, oil, wood and other natural resources. They also release a large amount of waste, which needs to be recycled. Some of these wastes are dangerous to the environment, such as lead, mercury and dioxins. Several governments are attempting to regulate or ban the sale and production of these pollutants.
