A vehicle is a self-propelled conveyance that runs on tires and is used for transporting people or things. It has a body that covers the mechanical parts and can seat one to seven passengers. It is usually shaped like a box or a van and has four wheels. It can be powered by a gasoline engine or an electric motor.
In the past, automobiles were expensive and not easily available to all. But they are now much cheaper to buy and run, and more people can afford them. They are also more fuel-efficient than they once were. Automobiles have changed society in many ways. They have enabled people to move freely around the country and take advantage of opportunities in remote areas. They have also helped to create leisure activities, including restaurants, hotels and amusement parks. And they have led to the development of new government regulations, such as speed limits and safety features.
Inventors of the automobile began by creating different kinds of vehicles with engines of all kinds. The first true automobile was a steam-powered machine built by Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot of France in 1769. It was heavy and moved very slowly. But in the 1880s Karl Benz of Germany designed a car that was powered by an internal combustion engine. This was a big step forward.
The cars made by Benz and other manufacturers became more reliable and easier to operate. In the 1910s there was a movement to get women voting rights. During this time, women drove around with “votes for women” banners on their cars.
After World War II, auto makers added more features to the automobiles they produced. These included power steering and brakes. They also made cars that could go faster and farther on a gallon of gas. Bigger and faster cars consumed a lot of gasoline, which was in short supply after the war. But by the 1970s oil prices began to rise and auto makers began to produce smaller and more fuel-efficient cars.
Today most people use the word automobile to mean a motor vehicle that has four wheels and seats one to seven passengers. However, it is important to know that not all automobiles are vehicles and that the term has different meanings in other countries. In some places, the word means an ordinary passenger vehicle while in others it is a specific type of car that must meet certain requirements. For example, an automobile in the United States must have a certain level of safety equipment and must be registered, insured and licensed to be driven on public roads. A person who uses another’s automobile without the owner’s permission may be liable to pay a reasonable hire for the car. A driver must also wear a seat belt and be trained to drive safely. Almost all countries have laws requiring motorists to fasten their seat belts and put children in special seats. Those who break these rules can be fined or even arrested for driving an unsafe vehicle.