Automobiles are four-wheeled vehicles that are primarily driven by an internal combustion engine using volatile fuel. They can transport people over long distances more comfortably than buses, trains or bicycles and reach places that are inaccessible to other forms of transportation.
The automobile has revolutionized society and industry in many ways since its creation in the late 19th century. It has created new jobs and industries and provided individuals with a greater sense of freedom and independence than ever before. It also has had negative effects, especially when used excessively, such as traffic congestion, air pollution, and the draining of dwindling world oil supplies.
Although several inventors worked on automobiles during the 1860s, Karl Benz is widely credited with inventing the modern automobile in 1886. He built a two-cylinder, four-stroke, gasoline-powered automobile that was designed for mass production. It became popular enough that, by the 1920s, cars were one of the most important economic forces in the United States. It prompted a great deal of industrial growth, including the invention of steel and the refinement of petroleum and other fuels. It also spawned a multitude of spin-off industries, such as rubber, plastics and services like gas stations.
As the automobile gained popularity, it also gave rise to new social problems and attitudes. For example, suburban dwellers developed a desire for private spaces and a sense of privacy that could only be fulfilled with the automobile. Families found that they could travel long distances for family vacations, and teens could go out on dates with their friends in relative safety.