Automobiles are wheeled vehicles designed to be run primarily on roads and used for the transport of people. They are powered by an internal combustion engine and usually have four wheels. They have become the primary form of transportation in most countries, with over three trillion miles (five trillion kilometres) being traveled annually worldwide.
The automobile has transformed the modern world and shaped our culture and economy. The industry is the primary employer in many developed nations and provides a substantial part of our national income. It is a major consumer of steel, petroleum products, and other industrial raw materials and products. It is a key force in the development of a new consumer-goods oriented society and one of the most important economic sectors.
Several important innovations led to the modern car. The first, in 1870, was Gottlieb Daimler’s fitting of a small internal combustion gasoline engine to a horse carriage. It was a crude vehicle without seats or steering, but it proved that a gasoline internal combustion engine could be driven on the road.
In the 1900s, Henry Ford invented mass production techniques and brought the automobile within reach of middle-class Americans. This changed the nature of cars, from the expensive and luxurious models of Europe to the affordable, practical American design of the Model T runabout. It also forced manufacturers to use high-quality, durable components to make the car last for a long time and remain competitive.