The Importance of Automobiles

Automobiles are machines that move on their own power without being pulled or drawn as in Bullock carts or Horse carriages.

The term automobile refers to any vehicle that is designed to be driven by an engine, which in turn powers the wheels on the vehicle, allowing it to move automatically. Several factors contribute to the development of the automobile including its shape, size, propulsion system, engine type, engine position and drive type.

OPENS UP THE WORLD

The automobile is a sophisticated machine that is capable of a large number of functions and uses. It is an important part of the way we travel and provides an array of benefits.

SAVES YOU TIME

The busy lives that we lead make time a precious commodity. Having your own automobile frees up time for the things that you enjoy doing. It also saves time on your commute, shopping trips, or visiting friends and family.

CHANGES THE ECONOMY

The mass adoption of the automobile in the 1920s and 1930s left few facets of everyday life unaffected. It changed the economic structure of the country and the patterns of urban mobility. It ushered in a new class of semiskilled industrial workers, opened remunerative industrial employment to unskilled workers and helped transform the economy from one of scarcity to one of affluence.

TECHNOLOGY FIRSTS

The first modern gasoline-powered car was invented in Germany by Karl Benz in 1885, and his patent was granted on 29 January 1886. His wife, Bertha Benz, drove his car a distance of more than 106 kilometers (about 65 miles) to demonstrate its practicality and gain publicity for her husband’s invention. Other German inventors were also active during the early years of the automobile’s development, notably Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in Stuttgart.