Automobiles are a motor vehicle intended for passenger transportation that is powered by an internal combustion engine using a volatile fuel. They are one of the most common and widespread of modern technologies and have spawned entire industries including manufacturing, maintenance, sales, repair, and service. Modern automobiles are complex technical systems, employing subsystems with specific design functions.
The invention and development of the automobile was a major turning point in world history. It revolutionized the way people live, work, and play. It gave rise to a new economy and dozens of spin-off industries. These included motels, hotels, amusement parks and other recreation, and fast food restaurants. It also brought environmental harm, with exhaust from gas-burning cars contributing to air pollution. And it took up undeveloped land to build highways and related industries.
Although the automobile was first perfected in Germany and France in the late 1800s, it was American inventor Henry Ford who made the car affordable to middle-class Americans. He used mass production techniques, and the automobile industry consolidated around him and the Big Three automakers. The advent of the Model T in 1908 was a landmark. The automobile is often seen as the emblem of the great American ideals of independence and personal freedom. It was these ideas that encouraged many families to take vacations in their own cars and to rediscover pristine landscapes. Teenagers got to drive independently, and dating couples could go out on dates without being tied down by a cab or bus schedule.
As automobiles became less expensive to buy and easier to operate, they were soon a symbol of the long-standing predisposition in the United States for individual freedom of movement, action, and living. However, this freedom was accompanied by no clear understanding of the responsibilities that come with freedom, and it would not be long before demands for licenses, safety regulations, and traffic laws were introduced.
Despite these drawbacks, the automobile was generally popular and enjoyed by many. It enabled women to travel alone, and two women even drove across the country in 1916 to advocate for women’s rights. They decorated their cars with “votes for women” banners and spoke from the front seats of their vehicles.
There are special automobiles for different purposes such as fire engines, ambulances and patrol cars that help to rescue the victims of accidents. Some automobiles are built for sport such as racecars and others are designed to protect the drivers in the event of an accident. The automobile is also a very useful tool for work as it allows the driver to be mobile and carry tools and equipment with him or her. The modern automobile is designed with ergonomics in mind, to be safe and comfortable for the driver. There are many new technological developments that can be found in the automobile and it is continuously changing. For this reason, it is essential to take up SSC JE Mechanical mock tests and SSC JE ME previous year papers to keep yourself updated with the changes in automobiles.