Automobiles are the lifeblood of modern society. They are the primary mode of transportation for millions of people. The automobile industry is one of the largest industries in the world. Approximately 70 million new passenger cars are produced worldwide each year.
Automotive technology has evolved since its introduction in the late 1800s. It has become a complex technical system consisting of thousands of component parts. The development of the automobile has been driven by the development of new technologies, improvements to the body and drivetrain, and improvements to emission-control and safety systems. Today, the automobile is a multi-billion dollar enterprise.
In the early twentieth century, the United States led the world in the number of new motor vehicles produced. American manufacturers had a tradition of low prices and easy entry into the automobile market, which encouraged consumers to buy. As a result, the demand for the automobile in the United States was greater than in Europe. Moreover, the United States had higher per capita income, which made it possible for more Americans to buy automobiles.
By the end of the 1920s, the gasoline-powered automobile had overtaken the streets of the United States and Europe. The automobile also boosted tourism and medical care in rural America. During the 1920s and 1930s, the automobile industry in the United States accounted for more than 80 percent of all industrial output.
The automobile industry in the United States became a leading consumer of steel and petroleum products. As a result, the automobile industry became a backbone for a new consumer goods-oriented society. Several manufacturers entered the automotive business in the 1900s, and by the middle of the twentieth century, there were 485 companies in the motor vehicle business.
After World War II, the automobile industry grew significantly in Japan. The post-war model was a sleek, fuel-efficient car with hydraulic brakes and low-pressure balloon tires. This was the first mass-produced model to be sold in large numbers.
However, the automobile industry in Europe did not begin mass-producing automobiles until the early 1930s. By then, the automobile was already a successful business, with Ford, General Motors and Chrysler becoming the “Big Three” auto manufacturers.
In the 1930s, the automobile was a significant contributor to the creation of the modern city. A growing automobile industry encouraged the construction of streets and highways. Eventually, the Interstate Highway Act of 1956 inaugurated the largest public works program in history.
Initially, the automobiles were designed to carry passengers. Eventually, the automobiles were designed to carry goods. In addition, the automobile industry in the United States developed more efficient manufacturing techniques to produce the automobiles. These new techniques reduced the price of the automobiles and made them accessible to more American consumers.
The mass-production techniques adopted by the Ford Motor Company allowed the company to produce more than one hundred cars a day. At the same time, the company outpaced its competitors in reconciling state-of-the-art design with a moderate price. Compared to its competitors, the Model T was a well-built, affordable vehicle that sold for under $600.
