Typically, an automobile is a vehicle for passengers that is powered by a gasoline or diesel internal combustion engine. There are several types of automobiles, which vary in size, shape, and power output. Typical road vehicles include the passenger car, the SUV, the limousine, the bus, the minivan, the motorcycle, and the van.
The modern automobile is a complex technical system consisting of thousands of component parts. Advances in existing technology and new discoveries have facilitated their development. The automotive industry has become one of the world’s largest industries. It provides jobs to one out of every six people in the United States. The industry also plays an important role in the life of modern society.
The automobile industry began to develop in the late 1800s, but did not become fully developed until the early twentieth century. The early automobiles used steam engines. They were inconvenient to start and had a limited range. The steam engine was also inconvenient because they could not go fast.
In the late 1800s, the German automobile industry began to emerge, and German inventor Karl Benz produced the first automobile in the world. The engine weighed 14 pounds per horsepower and reached a top speed of 53 miles per hour.
The United States soon began to adopt automobiles as a main means of transportation. The rise of economic development and higher per capita income encouraged the demand for automobiles.
In the first half of the twentieth century, American manufacturers began to dominate the automotive industry. By 1927, 15 million Model T coupes were sold. The Model T’s low cost made it affordable to middle-class families.