The automobile is the largest form of transport in modern society. Unlike motorcycles, cars are designed to carry more passengers, goods and other stuff. It also runs on petroleum, batteries and diesel.
Automobiles were invented in the late 1800s. These vehicles are generally categorized as passenger cars and commercial vehicles. They are made of thousands of parts and are highly technical systems.
Vehicles that are designed to carry more than four passengers are called minivans. Minivans can have permanently removed back seats for more cargo space. Usually, cars have four doors and a steering wheel. However, the definition of “automobile” is more flexible than this.
Some definitions of the term car say that the vehicle has three wheels. Motorcycles are not classified as automobiles unless they have side cars.
In the United States, automobiles were initially a way for middle-class families to get around. Prices for these cars were affordable and were lowered by American manufacturing tradition.
A few years after the invention of the internal combustion engine, the first automobiles were produced. One of the earliest was the Stout Scarab, designed by William Bushnell Stout for his engineering firm. This machine was an early precursor to the minivan.
Since the Asian economic crisis, vehicle production has improved slowly. Thailand is known as the automobile capital of Southeast Asia. While automobile sales increased, overall production has fallen 70 percent from 158,000 units in 1998 to 175,000 in 1999.
Honda plans to focus on the ASEAN markets. Several Chinese brands also operate in Africa. Nonetheless, there is a question mark about the market. Indian manufacturers Baja and TVR are also present.