Automobiles are vehicles that use an engine to propel them along the road. Most automobiles burn gasoline – a fossil fuel – to make the engine run. Some, called hybrids, use regenerative braking to turn some of the energy used to slow the car into electricity.
In addition to making it possible for people to move around with ease, the automobile opened up new opportunities for work, play, and socializing. It also created many jobs in the industries that produced and sold automobiles and the services that supported them. For example, new roads had to be built, as did oil refineries. Services such as gas stations and repair shops also grew to meet the needs of automobile owners.
The first automobiles were steam engines attached to wagons in the late 18th century. Later, Karl Benz developed a more modern, efficient, and reliable vehicle with four wheels. Benz’s invention inspired other inventors to create more cars with gasoline (or, as it was called at the time, petrol) engines.
The modern automobile owes its popularity to the fact that it allows people to travel long distances quickly. Unlike buses, which have to stop at every stop along the route, a car can cover much greater distances with less time. It is not uncommon to drive hundreds of miles in a day with a passenger car. This freedom of movement opens up new work and leisure possibilities, as well as more places to live in relation to where you work.