Automobiles are a major part of our modern society. They are a necessity to our daily lives, as well as providing us with the luxury of escaping from work and spending time with family or friends. An automobile is a self-propelled vehicle that has four to eight tires and is powered by an internal combustion engine or electric motor. The branches of engineering that deal with the manufacture and technologies of these vehicles are called automotive engineering.
The first automobiles were developed in the late 1800s. They used a variety of fuels, including steam, electricity and gasoline. By the 1920s, gasoline-powered automobiles had dominated the market. This was partly due to the development of manufacturing methods by American car maker Henry Ford, who introduced assembly lines and reduced the price of his Model T so that middle-class Americans could afford it.
After World War I, life in the United States changed dramatically. Many men went off to war and women had to assume their traditional roles at home. The car allowed them to travel and explore the country. Some women even took bold actions like driving across the country to advocate for their rights. They would decorate their cars with “votes for women” banners. In 1916, Nell Richardson and Alice Burke drove their car with “votes for women” from coast to coast to advocate for the right of women to vote.
AN AUTOMOBILE SAVES YOU TIME
The ability to travel at the speed of your choice gives you more freedom than ever before. Being able to cross town in just minutes saves you a lot of time on your day-to-day commute, shopping trips or visiting friends and family. This is especially important for busy people whose schedules are often full and frenzied.
AN AUTOMOBILE IS SAFE
The safety of the automobile has improved dramatically with the advent of new technologies like airbags, antilock brakes and electronic stability control. These technologies help to keep the driver and passengers safe from accidents by preventing the wheels from locking or skidding when cornering or accelerating. It is also important to have a reliable vehicle with working brakes, lights and mirrors. An automobile can also be equipped with a GPS which helps to find your location and guide you to your destination.
With the exception of the earliest automobiles which were steam engines attached to wagons, the modern automobile is an impressive engineering achievement. Its scientific and technological building blocks go back hundreds of years, when Dutch scientist Christiaan Huygens invented the type of internal combustion engine sparked by gunpowder. It was not until the late 1800s that these engines became commercially viable, though. Early cars had high operating costs because of the need to constantly refill their water reservoirs, and they were difficult to start and drive at low speeds. Gasoline-powered engines soon swept the world, making it possible for people to live a lifestyle that was once unimaginable without their own cars.