Automobiles are vehicles that use an internal combustion engine for propulsion. They are usually four-wheeled and have a steering wheel.
The automobile was invented in the late 1800s by Karl Benz, a German engineer. He was followed by other inventors and engineers who built their own designs. At first, the cars were very expensive and were only available to wealthy people. By the 1910s, Henry Ford had developed an assembly line. This made it easy to produce cars quickly. The workers on the line did only one job while car parts passed by on a conveyor belt. This allowed more people to afford an automobile.
After World War I car makers added new features to make the cars easier to drive and maintain. These included air conditioning and power steering. After World War II automakers produced bigger, faster and more expensive cars. Some of these were designed to be as fuel efficient as possible. Some used alternative fuels like electric or hybrid engines.
Today, most automobiles run on gasoline. They pollute the environment by producing harmful gases. Some scientists believe that these gases are contributing to a problem called global warming. In order to reduce the amount of gas being burned and the amount of pollution caused by automobiles, some scientists have created cars that run on alternative fuel. Some of these cars run on biofuel or batteries. Others run on a combination of gasoline and electricity. Many countries are creating highways to make it safer and more convenient for people to travel by car.