Automobiles (also called cars or autos) are motor vehicles designed to transport passengers and/or cargo. Most modern automobiles use gasoline as the fuel source, although some use other fuels and are also produced in a diesel engine (which uses heavier petroleum distillates) and electric power train configurations.
Automobile designs are typically based on passenger comfort and utility. Depending on the type of automobile, safety features may include headrests, seatbelts, airbags and/or seatbelt pretensioners. The vehicle design is influenced by the intended purpose, as well as by the laws of physics and ergonomics.
Having your own car gives you the freedom to travel where and when you want. It saves you time on your commute or shopping trips and allows you to visit friends or family more often.
A car is a reliable and convenient form of transportation that is ideal for families with children. It offers a sense of safety and security that public transportation cannot provide, while allowing parents to keep an eye on their kids at all times.
The automotive industry first began developing in the late 1800s and was perfected in Germany and France by men such as Gottlieb Daimler, Karl Benz and Nicolaus Otto. The gasoline-powered automobile quickly overtook horse-drawn carriages and railroad cars, eventually gaining worldwide traction in the 1920s when U.S. carmaker Henry Ford introduced mass-production techniques to the industry, making his Model T affordable for most middle-class families. Automobile production slowed down during World War II, but by the early 1960s it was again booming. Today, the United States has more than 1.4 billion registered vehicles, and people drive them over three trillion miles every year.