The automobile is a complex vehicle with many systems. Each system must function in conjunction with the other. The basic systems are engine, drive train, chassis, suspension, braking, and body. New technical developments are employed to improve these systems in response to the demands of the market, environmental concerns, safety requirements, and competition between automobile manufacturers.
The automotive industry is a major economic force. Its production and operation affects other manufacturing industries, as well as service industries such as restaurants, hotels, amusement parks, and recreational activities. The automobile has revolutionized the way people live and work. People are able to travel long distances in relative comfort, allowing them to choose jobs in different locations and to pursue hobbies that they would be unable to enjoy without this ability to move around. Entire societies have been reorganized around the power of rapid, long-distance movement that automobiles allow.
While the car may seem to be an obvious invention, its development has been a long and complex process. Engineers, designers, and technicians have worked on improving the automobile for centuries. Early cars were run on steam, electric power, or gasoline. By 1900, the internal combustion gasoline motor had become the dominant form of automobile. Steam engines were too expensive to compete with gasoline engines, and electric cars had a limited range, making them difficult to use for long trips.
Karl Benz invented the first modern automobile in 1885. He improved on the design of his earlier models by adding a rotary valve system, a four-stroke engine, and an independent suspension. However, a problem with the fuel system caused the engine to explode on its first test ride. Neither Benz or his business partner, Emile Baumann, built any more automobiles.
Edouard Delamare-Deboutteville and Leon Malandin of France developed a car with a liquid-fuelled engine in the late 1860s, but their prototype crashed on its first test run. The two men patented their car, but it did not enter commercial production.
During the 1910s, the gasoline-powered automobile dominated the roadscape of Europe and the United States. Its dominance was greatly enhanced by the invention of the Model T by Henry Ford, who pioneered industrial manufacturing and assembly line techniques to reduce the cost of his automobile. This made cars affordable to middle-class families, making them a part of the mainstream of American life.
The automotive industry has continued to innovate with new technology, such as computer-aided engineering and lightweight materials. Efforts to improve the efficiency of engine and transmission, as well as to reduce emissions, have also been important innovations.
The automobile has had a profound influence on society and the economy of many countries. Automobiles have contributed to leisure time, and this has led to the growth of service industries such as hotels, restaurants, amusement parks, and recreational activities. It has also brought harm to the environment through exhaust pollution and has resulted in the need for new laws, such as seatbelts and highway rules.
