Automobiles are vehicles that use internal combustion engines to drive themselves. They have four wheels, seats for one to six people, and are built to run primarily on roads. Some automobiles are designed to carry cargo as well, but most are not. There are about 590 million automobiles worldwide, with about 140 million of them in the United States.
The first true automobile was built by Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot of France in 1769. Many manufacturers produced steam-driven cars in the late 1800s and early 1900s, but they were heavy and moved slowly. Then, in 1913, Henry Ford began to make cars affordable for everyone by introducing the assembly line. Workers would stay in one place and work on only one car part at a time as the parts passed by on a conveyor belt. It allowed the factory to produce many cars quickly and efficiently.
Cars revolutionized American life by allowing people to travel more easily and often. They gave people more freedom and made it possible for families to live in rural areas or urban neighborhoods, as well as to visit family members in different places. The automobile also led to the development of new businesses and services, including hotels, motels, restaurants and fast food chains. It brought about government requirements for safety features, licensing of drivers and rules of the road.
Today, most people in the United States rely on cars for daily transportation. New technology, such as hybrid and electrical cars, is helping to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.