Cars

A car is a self-propelling wheeled-passenger vehicle that usually has four wheels. This means of transport is constructed primarily for carrying people rather than goods. Karl Benz is considered the inventor of the modern automobile. Ransom Eli Olds is credited with first coming out with the large-scale, production-line assembly of affordable automobiles. This assembly line was greatly expanded and optimized by Henry Ford for his Model T motor car. Nowadays, almost all cars are mass produced and, as such, marketing plans have often heavily influenced automobile designs.

By 1900, the mass production of cars had begun in France and the United States. The earliest decades showcased extreme innovations. Cars were powered by petrol, electricity and steam. By the 1920s, petrol had established its dominance. With the advent of assembly line manufacturing, petrol had virtually eliminated its rivals, steam and electric. During the inter-war years, front-engine cars had begun to dominate the market. By the 1930s, most of the mechanical technology used in today's cars had come to be invented. During the 1950s, engine power and vehicle speeds increased, designs became more integrated and artful, and the number of cars across the globe rose.

Major innovations during the post-war era include turbochargers, fuel-injection and small yet powerful performance cars. Over the years, factors such as energy crisis, automobile safety rules as well as increasing environmental regulations have helped in making cars more safer, efficient and reliable. “Technologies” that have and which may invade the car industry in future include hybrids, fuel cells, bio-fuels as well as the return of electric-powered cars.