An automobile, sometimes called a motor car or a car, is a wheeled passenger vehicle that uses its own engine to move. It has four wheels and can carry one to seven people. Its name comes from the Greek words for “self-moving” or “self-driving”.

The automobile transformed Western society in many ways. It gave people greater freedom of movement and opened up new jobs, places to live, and leisure activities. It also brought new problems like pollution and the need for highways and other infrastructure.

The first automobiles were steam and electric powered, but gas-powered automobiles won the competition in the late 1700s and early 1800s. These vehicles allowed people to travel long distances more quickly than ever before.

By the 1920s, nearly all households in industrialized countries had an automobile. During this time, automobile manufacturers developed many technical innovations to improve the body, chassis, engine, drivetrain, and safety systems. Research and development engineers continue to work on new technologies for automobiles.

Automobiles come in a variety of styles and sizes for different purposes. A coupe is a two-door automobile that’s usually considered sportier than a sedan. A convertible is an automobile with a removable roof for open-air driving. Station wagons and vans are larger automobiles for carrying passengers and cargo.

Most automobiles burn fuel to make their internal combustion engines run, and they have to be refilled with fuel when they get low. The most common fuel is gasoline, but there are alternatives such as biodiesel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Automobiles have a significant environmental impact both from their production and usage. They emit greenhouse gases and deplete natural resources.