Automobiles are a very important part of the world’s economy. They give people access to work, places to live, and leisure activities. They also create millions of jobs in factories that make them, and at gas stations, restaurants and motels that serve travelers. But automobiles also cause problems. Millions of people die in car accidents every year, and they pollute the air that we breathe. They also crowd cities and create traffic jams. There are other ways to get around that are faster, cheaper and less polluting than cars.
The word “automobile” comes from two French words, meaning “car” and “machine for moving”. The modern automobile uses an engine to move on the ground. It can carry a driver and sometimes a few passengers. It can also carry cargo. A vehicle that carries mostly cargo is called a truck or van. There are special automobiles for many different purposes, like fire engines and ambulances.
A modern automobile has many parts to keep it working and safe for passengers. These include the engine, transmission, chassis (the frame that holds all the mechanical parts) and the body. The engine can be gasoline (carburetor internal combustion), diesel, gas (balloon gas), electric or gas turbine. The transmission is the set of devices that sends power from the engine to the wheels. The chassis is the frame that holds all the mechanical parts, including the wheels. The body is the outer shell that covers the passenger compartment and other systems inside the car.
The first automobiles were powered by steam engines attached to wagons in the late 1800s. They were heavy and moved slowly. Later, manufacturers produced automobiles with more powerful engines and better designs. Some of them used electricity to power the motor, but they needed to be recharged after a long drive. Other automobiles burned kerosene, a kind of oil. These cars were more comfortable than steam-powered ones but they still slowed down quickly.
In the early 1900s, more and more people could afford to buy automobiles. They changed the way Americans lived and worked. People could escape from their busy urban lives to the countryside. They could travel farther for work and visit friends or family in distant towns. They could see more of the country, and even travel abroad.
As more and more people owned cars, the need for improved safety features became a priority. Passengers must be able to sit comfortably in the car, and there must be a system for stopping the automobile if it crashes. Most countries now require passengers to fasten seat belts and to put children in special seats. Some vehicles use regenerative brakes, which turn some of the energy that the automobile loses when it stops into electricity to power the motor. This system is more environmentally friendly than conventional brakes, which only stop the automobile by absorbing some of the energy that it produces. This technology is being developed for new types of electric vehicles.