Automobiles – The Backbone of America’s Economy
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An automobile is a wheeled vehicle that can transport people and goods. It has a powerful engine which is used to propel the vehicle. It also has an electrical system which produces electricity for various systems in the car. An automobile can be driven by humans or by a computer.
Automobiles are the backbone of America’s economy and it supports millions of American jobs. The industry has cutting-edge facilities that assemble millions of cars and trucks each year. It also has major transportation infrastructure that exports completed products to points around the world.
The automobile was invented and perfected in Germany and France in the late 1800s, though the Americans quickly came to dominate the industry. Henry Ford innovated mass production techniques that revolutionized the automotive industry. Ford, General Motors and Chrysler emerged as the “Big Three” automobile companies.
With its vast land area, the United States had a greater need for automobile transportation than European nations. This, combined with a less restrictive tax structure and cheap raw materials, encouraged early automotive manufacturers to exploit large regional markets. The United States also had a larger percentage of the population living in urban areas, resulting in a greater demand for public transportation.
In addition to enhancing personal freedom and improving travel times, the automobile revolutionized social life. For the first time, people could leave their homes to visit friends and relatives without needing to depend on the schedules of a horse and carriage or a train. In literature, the automobile inspired a new genre of writing known as the automobile novel. Novels like Booth Tarkington’s The Magnificent Ambersons and Sinclair Lewis’s Free Air criticized the negative effects of the automobile culture, while others such as Dorothy Levitt promoted women’s rights by driving around with “votes for women” banners.
Other positive social impacts of the automobile included the ability to make long-distance trips for vacations and the opportunity for families to explore remote and beautiful places that were previously inaccessible. The automobile also contributed to a sense of community as neighbors traveled together to church, the supermarket, and other civic activities.
There are many disadvantages to owning an automobile. In addition to the initial cost of purchasing a car, there are also maintenance costs, insurance premiums and fuel expenses. Furthermore, automobiles emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change and air pollution. They also consume oil, which is a finite resource.
The automobile is a complex machine with thousands of components that work together to create a safe and comfortable driving experience for the driver and passengers. These components include the engine, transmission, steering mechanism, and suspension. The engine generates power to drive the wheels, while the transmission ensures that the correct gear is always engaged. The steering mechanism allows the driver to maneuver the car, while the suspension allows the automobile to maintain its stability at high speeds. In addition, the lighting and sound systems help to provide a safe driving environment.