A self-propelled passenger vehicle that usually has four wheels and is fueled by an internal-combustion engine, used for transporting people over long distances. Also called a motorcar or car, it is one of the most ubiquitous of modern technologies. Its development transformed the United States from an agrarian society into an industrial powerhouse. It enables people to work and play in different places with ease, and it has changed family and social life as well.

The automobile exploded in popularity in the early 1900s. A growing middle class enabled more Americans to buy and use them. Cars opened up opportunities for outdoor recreation and created new businesses such as restaurants and service stations along roads. It is now impossible to imagine how the world would function without automobiles.

Karl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler, and other inventors worked on the first practical, marketable automobiles in the 1880s to 1910. These early vehicles were heavy, slow-moving, and expensive. Henry Ford introduced modern mass production techniques, making the price of his Model T so low that middle-class families could afford it.

Gasoline is the fuel for most automobiles, and it is derived from oil. The world’s reserves of oil are limited, so as the demand for automobiles rose, prices went up and lines at gasoline stations got longer. This is driving manufacturers to develop alternative fuel cars.