Automobiles are vehicles that carry people on four wheels and use an engine to make them move. They can seat one to seven people and are smaller than trucks/lorries and buses. The word “automobile” is derived from the Greek prefix “auto” (self) and Latin word “mobilis” (“moving”). Automobiles have changed the way we live by making it easy for us to travel within cities or across continents. Cars have also influenced where we live by allowing families to move away from urban centers and build houses in suburban areas.

The first automobile was a steam-driven vehicle built by Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot of France in 1769. It was heavy and moved very slowly. Later manufacturers used gasoline engines. In 1860 Etienne Lenoir of France developed an internal combustion engine that ran on gasoline, and in 1876 the German Nikolaus Otto improved upon it. These improvements made cars easier to drive and cheaper to operate. The car became a popular mode of transportation for the middle class.

By the early 1900s, the automobile was the dominant form of transportation in the United States and other countries. The growth of automobiles was helped by the availability of cheap oil and the development of roads, traffic lights, and refueling stations. This new mode of transport allowed families to leave city centers and move to suburban neighborhoods where they could have their own house surrounded by a lawn and trees.

As the use of automobiles grew, scientists and others became concerned about air pollution caused by burning gasoline. This led to the development of better types of gasoline and catalytic converters. In the 21st century some automakers created vehicles that ran on alternative fuels such as biofuel and batteries. Safety features have also improved greatly. For example, deaths and injuries have been reduced by the use of safety belts and laws in many countries that require drivers to wear them.