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Joshua Oh
4/12/13
Mrs. Bates
The Evolution of Automobiles
The first steam powered machine was first seen in 1672. However, it was just a toy and a
gift to the Chinese Emperor. The first full sized steam tractor was invented by Nicolas-Joseph
Cugnot, but tests proved that it was impractical. It didn’t just stop there, the automobile was later
to be developed and innovated by many others. Inventors such as Karl Benz or Henry Ford were
great inventors in the automobile industry. In 1885, Karl Benz built the world’s first practical
automobile, Benz then started his company now the world renown, Mercedes Benz. Henry Ford,
creator and inventor of Ford, improved the assembly line for automobile production and
invented an automobile transmission device. These automobile manufacturers and inventor
helped develop the modern sports cars, luxury cars, vans, and family cars out on the roads today.
The first automobiles seen in the 18th and 19th centuries are very different from the
automobiles we see today. The first automobiles used steam power while automobiles now a
day’s use gasoline. New innovations and modifications to the automobile were not all made at
once, or made by one person. The process took many years to get to where it is now. Things such
as the hand brake, also known as the E Brake, or even the steering of an automobile was
improved and created by many people. After Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot’s steam test tractor was
declared inefficient, many other inventors such as Richard Trevithick, William Murdock, and
Henry Seth Taylor improved the steam machine and improved it. In 1806, Swiss inventor
François Isaac de Rivaz, created a basic hydrogen and oxygen powered internal combustion
engine. The years that followed were full of spectacular achievements. After François Isaac de
Rivaz’s gas powered engine, Karl Benz created his gasoline powered engine. It was way more
efficient than any other automobile ever seen. Benz then completely remodeled his automobile
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designs creating a very different and special automobile that no other man had ever seen before.
Later improvements to Benz’s automobile such as automobiles that did not require the cranking
to start the engine, or four wheel breaks came later. The electric powered automobile may seem
very modern, especially due to the fact that it is quite eco-friendly, but it is not new to us at all.
In fact, electric powered automobiles were been tested throughout the entire 1800s. Robert
Davidson, a Scottish inventor, created a electric locomotive that ran at speeds up to 6 km/h.
Electric powered automobiles were not very popular in its time so was not very heard of until the
more recent years. Startup companies such as Ford, Bugatti, Fiat, Citroen, and Rolls-Royce then
expanded the automobile industry. These companies created more opportunities, more affordable
automobiles were created. Companies were then created overseas creating their own take of the
automobile. Companies such as Honda, Hyundai, Subaru, and Toyota are all Japanese made
automobile companies. Over the decades, the progress of automobiles and their improvements is
greatly seen. From the most basic two cylinder combustion engine, to our modern day twelve
cylinder sports cars, none of the things we see today in cars would have been possible without
these great inventors.
Automobiles have lots of criticism as well, such as the fact that automobiles are the
number one leading cause of death in the US, and also the leading cause of air pollution in the
entire world. Many things have been done to help fix these problems. New equipment has been
installed into automobiles, such as the automatic airbags that reduce the impact taken in an
accident. Other devices such as sensors in the rear bumper and front bumper help emergency
stop the automobile from continuing forward. Other technological improvements such as ecofriendly electrically powered automobiles have also been created to create as little emission as
possible. The electric powered automobiles are a growing industry and have also saved the
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environment from pollution. Despite the death risks, accidents, or heavy pollution, automobiles
have been developed and made to it’s very best to improve our lives and the environment.
The automobile improved the entire world in many ways. It helped the entire world
transport goods and humans more quickly and efficiently. Instead of the previous horse pulled
carriages, the automobiles did the same job at a cheaper long term price and even faster. The
automobile not only helped the world in transportation, it became a booming industry and was an
opportunity for many people to work. Automobiles factories are not the only ones creating open
opportunities for jobs such as automobile drivers or sports car racing. The automobile also was
the vogue in its era, and still is today. The automobile helped the economy and trade for many
countries, fuel for automobiles have also been very sought after, oil in the Middle East has rose
in prices and has created another open business for people.
In the near future, and we may see automobiles doing things we may have never thought
of, such as flying or going underwater. This is possible because of the never ceasing expansion
of the automobile industry. The automobile industry has expanded even more over the past
century. In the year 1986, there were about 500 million automobiles in the entire world, but in
2010 there were about 1 billion automobiles. China and India has a constant growing automobile
industry. Along with the growing industry, other uses such as automobile racing are also seen
and heard of very often, and also has helped the popularity of automobiles. Races are very
popular thus expanding the automobile industry. Along with more affordable automobile brands,
such as Toyota, Honda, and Buick, the industry keeps expanding. Automobile brands have
solidified their reputation, companies such as Mercedes Benz, BMW, Rolls-Royce, and Maybach
are known for their luxurious automobiles. While other automobile brands such as Ferrari,
Bugatti, Lamborghini, and Maserati are known for their semi-luxurious sports cars. These
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automobiles were not the way they are today. It took many years of advancement and
technological improvements to get to where they are.
The automobile has helped everyone in the past up until the present. Automobiles are
used in many ways, and have a wide range of possibilities up ahead. Automobiles has improved
greatly in just a matter of decades, the possibilities are endless for it. Today automobiles are used
for various things, they can be modified to be heavily armored and go out into battle, or carry
dozens of passengers. In the 1800s, the fastest automobile would reach speeds up to 45 km/h, the
fastest car to date reached up to 1,227 km/h. Automobiles have also become a part of our daily
lives, and automobiles are used almost daily, to bring people to work or school. Without the
automobile, our lives would be so much harder.
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