Automobiles are a major part of our daily lives. They give us freedom to travel anywhere, at anytime and in comfort. However, they also cause air pollution and traffic congestion. They are also a significant contributor to climate change.
The automobile is a motor vehicle for transportation that combines a wheeled chassis with an internal combustion engine and seats one to seven people. It is usually powered by gasoline, but can be powered by other fuels such as diesel fuel and electricity. The branches of engineering that deal with the design, development and manufacture of automobiles are known as automotive engineering.
During the first decades of the 20th century, the middle class grew in America and more people could afford to buy cars. This changed society in many ways. People who lived in the city were able to visit their relatives in the countryside. People who lived in the countryside were able to come to cities to work.
In addition, the car changed the way people shopped for goods and services. People could shop from home or from the mall. They no longer had to travel to the town square to buy something. They could buy it from a catalog or order it over the phone.
The automobile has become a symbol of the promise and the pitfalls of modern life. It has opened the door to the potential of a global economy, but it has also contributed to environmental problems such as global warming. In the future, scientists and engineers are working on new and improved cars that will run more efficiently, pollute less and be safer to drive.