The automobile is one of the dominant symbols of twentieth century life. It is the mode of transportation aspired to throughout much of the world, and politicians have built careers on promising constituents that they will be able to afford automobiles. It is the largest user of petroleum and one of the primary users of steel and other industrial products. It also provides a huge percentage of the jobs in many ancillary industries. The automobile has been a powerful force for change in society and in American history, but new forces are melding together that will require a rigorous re-examination of its place in the future.
OPENS UP WORK AND PLACES TO LIVE: Having your own car means that you can go wherever you want, when you want. This translates to larger work possibilities, more places to live in relation to your career, and more people to include in your social circle. It can also open up a lot of options for leisure activities.
SAVES TIME: Owning a car can help you save time, especially in comparison to public transportation. By being able to travel from point A to point B in a matter of minutes, you can spend more time doing the things that you enjoy or spending time with your family.
SAFETY: Owning a vehicle can provide you with safety features that help keep you and your passengers safe on the road. For example, vehicles that are designed with antilock brakes and airbags can greatly reduce your chances of being injured or killed in a crash. Many cars also come with cruise control, a feature that helps you maintain a set speed.
DEVELOPMENT: Automobile engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with the manufacture and technology of automotive vehicles. It is a highly specialized field that requires a combination of knowledge and skills in mechanical, electrical, and aerodynamic engineering.
The first modern motorcars were perfected in Germany and France toward the end of the nineteenth century by engineers such as Gottlieb Wilhelm Daimler, Karl Benz, Nicolaus Otto, and Emile Levassor. These were followed by Henry Ford’s moving assembly line, which allowed him to build automobiles more cheaply and quickly.
As the industry has developed, more and more attention has been paid to design and engineering. This is largely because the automobile is a complex system with a multitude of subsystems that each perform specific functions. The development of these systems has been fueled by advances in electronic computers, high-strength materials, and new alloys of steel and nonferrous metals. In addition, manufacturers have been forced to develop and implement safety systems in response to increasingly stringent government requirements. Some of these systems, such as tire pressure monitoring and stability control, are now standard equipment. Others, such as blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control, are becoming more affordable as the technologies behind them become more sophisticated.