Automobiles are vehicles that are powered by an internal combustion engine using a volatile fuel. They are very complex machines with many systems that work together to power the car, make it drive, steer, and control its operation. New technical developments in the automobile are constantly being made to increase the speed and efficiency of the engine, the brakes, steering, suspension, and lights, and to improve safety and comfort.
The automobile revolutionized the way people live and work. It gave many people the freedom to move and travel where they wanted, when they wanted, without being tied down by the schedules of buses or trains. As automobiles became more affordable, they became commonplace in the United States and elsewhere. They contributed to the growth of suburbs, where families moved out away from urban centers and lived in houses surrounded by yards and green grass. It also contributed to the development of a culture of individualism in the United States, where people took to the roads and the highways to pursue their own interests.
Who invented the automobile is a controversial question. Early accounts credited a variety of people, including Ferdinand Verbiest, who may have built the first steam powered automobile around 1672, and Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot, who designed a harbor dredge scow with wheels in 1765. The word automobile comes from Ancient Greek autos (self) and Latin mobilus (“moving”).
A modern automobile has seats for a driver and sometimes one or more passengers. A vehicle that is devoted to carrying cargo is usually called a truck, van, or bus.