Over the course of the 20th century, the automobile rapidly developed from an expensive technological wonder into the de facto standard for passanger transport. The development of the automobile built upon the transport revolution started by railways, and like the railways, introduced sweeping changes in infrastructure, manufacturing and legislation. The wide reaching effects of automobiles on everyday life have been a subject of much controversy. Proponentes on one end of the spectrum claim the car is a marvel of technology that has brought about unprecedented prosperity, while opponents on the other end claim it is a cancer on cities that has caused more harm than good. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... A small variety of cars, the most popular kind of automobile. ... De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used as opposed to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law or governance or technique (such as standards), that are found in the common experience as created or developed without... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Legislation refers to the process of enacting statutory laws, or to the set of statutory laws in a state. ...

Modern automobiles on the road

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (900x675, 157 KB) Downtown connector in Atlanta, GA, USA 10th Street bridge, facing South Photo taken in 2004 File links The following pages link to this file: Downtown Connector ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (900x675, 157 KB) Downtown connector in Atlanta, GA, USA 10th Street bridge, facing South Photo taken in 2004 File links The following pages link to this file: Downtown Connector ...

Economic changes

The main reason for the height of these signs is to attract the attention of drivers on the adjacent freeway.

The development of the automobile has caused changes in city planning, as well as changing the roles of horses and railroads. Urban, city, or town planning, deals with design of the built environment from the municipal and metropolitan perspective. ... Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The Horse (Equus caballus) is a sizeable ungulate mammal, one of the ten modern species of the genus Equus. ... This is the top-level page of WikiProject trains Rail tracks Rail transport refers to the land transport of passengers and goods along railways or railroads. ...

Industry restructuring

Huge industries devoted only to the automobile were created. Others were expanded from once trivial insignificance to imminent importance. Before the internal-combustion engine was developed, gasoline was a waste product, often discarded. Once the automobile became commonplace, the production of gasoline blossomed into a matter of such importance that the governments took action to secure a steady flow of oil. The steel industry was already established, but the coming of the automobile created huge amounts of business for it. The chemical, rubber, and petroleum industries were remade to suit the needs of the automobile and industries sprang up, such as service stations, motels, and automobile insurance, that were completely reliant upon the automobile for their livelihood. An internal combustion engine is an engine that is powered by the expansion of hot combustion products of fuel directly acting within an engine. ... Gasoline is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture consisting primarily of hydrocarbons, used as fuel in internal combustion engines. ... Oil is a generic term for organic liquids that are not miscible with water. ... A chemical substance is any material substance used in or obtained by a process in chemistry: A chemical compound is a substance consisting of two or more chemical elements that are chemically combined in fixed proportions. ... Rubber is an elastic hydrocarbon polymer which occurs as a milky emulsion (known as latex) in the sap of a number of plants but can also be produced synthetically. ... Nodding donkey pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario Petroleum (from Greek petra – rock and oleum – oil), crude oil, sometimes colloquially called black gold, is a thick, dark brown or greenish liquid. ... Service station is a term with different meanings in different parts of the world: In the United States and Canada, it refers to a filling station that also offers such services as oil change and mechanical repairs to automobiles. ... The word motel originates from the Motel Inn of San Luis Obispo, first built in 1925 by Arthur Heinman. ... Insurance, in law and economics, is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of potential financial loss. ...

As automobiles began to travel at higher and higher speeds, the sign industry began building larger and larger signs and billboards to draw the attention of drivers. Sign can denote any of the following: Look up sign on Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Billboard can refer to: Billboard magazine Billboard (advertising) Billboard antenna In 3D computer graphics, to billboard is to rotate an object so that it faces the viewer. ...

Infrastructure

Aside from industries, one of the most visible effects the automobile has had on the world is the huge increase in the amount of surfaced roads. For example, between 1921 and 1941, the United States spent US$40 billion on roads, increasing the amount of surfaced road from 387,000 miles (619,000 kilometres) to over 1,000,000 miles (1.6 million kilometres). A typical rural county road in Indiana, USA, where traffic drives on the right. ... 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... For the movie, see 1941 (film) 1941 (MCMXLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... A kilometre (American spelling: kilometer), symbol: km is a unit of length in the metric system equal to 1000 metres (from the Greek words χίλια (khilia) = thousand and μέτρο (metro) = count/measure). ...

With increased road-building came loss of habitat for wildlife on a massive scale. Loss of rural areas and agricultural land to pavement has also been extensive. Habitat (from the Latin for it inhabits) is the place where a particular species lives and grows. ... Various species of deer are commonly seen wildlife across the Americas and Eurasia. ... Rural area in Dalarna, Sweden Sheep eating grass in rural Australia Rural areas are sparsely settled places away from the influence of large cities and towns. ... This article is about the American English usage of pavement as the durable surfacing of roads and walkways. ...

The quality of roads was also improved. Roads were paved with asphalt, (an environmental hazard) and roads with more than one lane on each side became commonplace. The term asphalt is often used as an abbreviation for asphalt concrete. ...

Technological changes

Production

The assembly line and other methods of mass production were developed when American businessmen began seeking ways to build more automobiles at a lower price. The idea of using many small identical parts that could be exchanged for each other was engendered by the president of the Cadillac Automobile Company, Henry M. Leland. Once other automobile makers realized the value of small identical parts that were interchangeable, they hired many small machine shops to make identical parts that were then put together at assembly plants. Because of this, broken parts could easily be sent to car owners. This greatly prolonged the life of the automobile, making it even more attractive to consumers. Cadillac is a brand of luxury automobile, part of the General Motors corporation, produced and mostly sold in the USA; outside of North America, they have been less successful. ... Henry M. Leland (16 February 1843-26 March 1932) was a machinist, inventor, engineer and automotive entrepreneur. ...

Ransom E. Olds took the first step towards assembly line production when he had the framework of each automobile pushed on a wooden platform supported by rolling casters. Henry Ford built on this when he used conveyor belts to pull along the bare frame of a automobile while workmen added parts to it that were brought to them by other conveyor belts. Ford's utilization of the conveyor belt in the factory was inspired by the Chicago Packing Association's disassembly line, where workers dressed beef pulled along by an overhead trolley. Ransom Eli Olds (June 3, 1864–August 26, 1950) was a pioneer of American automobile industry. ... Time Magazine, January 14, 1935 Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was the founder of the Ford Motor Company and the Henry Ford Company (which later became Cadillac). ... Point of contact between a power transmission belt and its pulley. ... Beef A salt beef with mustard bagel Beef is meat obtained from a bovine. ...

Cultural changes

Prior to the appearance of the automobile, horses, streetcars and bicycles were the major modes of transportation within cities. Horses require a large amount of care, and were therefore kept in public facilities that were usually far from residences. The manure they left on the streets also created a sanitation problem. The automobile had neither of those disadvantages. A modern tram in the Töölö district of Helsinki, Finland Map showing the tramway system in Oslo, Norway Volkswagen Cargo-Tram in Dresden. ... This racing bicycle is built using lightweight, shaped aluminium tubing and carbon fiber stays and forks. ... Animal manure is often a mixture of animals faeces and bedding straw, as in this example from a stable. ... Sanitation is a term for the hygienic disposal or recycling of waste materials, particularly human excrement. ...

The automobile made regular medium-distance travel more convenient and affordable, also in areas without railways. Because automobiles did not require rest, and were faster than horse-drawn conveyances, people were routinely able to travel farther than in earlier times. Historically, most people never travelled more than a few tens of kilometres of their birthplace in their entire lives; the advent of the automobile began the transformation of society in such a way that those who had never travelled that distance were only a tiny minority.

Changes to urban society

Traffic queueing in London, England.

Beginning in the 1940s, most urban environments in United States lost their streetcars, Cable cars, and other forms of light rail, to be replaced by diesel-burning motor coaches or buses. Many of these have never returned, though some urban communities eventually installed subways. Heavy traffic crossing London Bridge This photo was taken by Wikipedian akaDruid on 10th March 2004. ... Heavy traffic crossing London Bridge This photo was taken by Wikipedian akaDruid on 10th March 2004. ... Part of the London skyline viewed from the South Bank London is the most populous city in the European Union, with an estimated population on 1 January 2005 of 7. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: England Travel guide to England from Wikitravel English language English law English (people) List of monarchs of England – Kings of England family tree List of English people Angeln (region in northern Germany, presumably the origin of the Angles for whom England is named) UK... // Events and trends World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrination, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atomic bomb. ... This article is about light rail systems in general. ... Cable Car in San Francisco A San Francisco cable car A cable car or cable railway is a mass transit system using rail cars that are propelled by a continuously moving cable running at a constant speed. ... This article is about light rail systems in general. ... Diesel or Diesel fuel is a specific fractional distillate of fuel oil (mostly petroleum) that is used as fuel in a diesel engine invented by German engineer Rudolf Diesel. ... This article is about the form of transport. ... Metro is: a general term, synonymous with rapid transit, subway or underground, for an urban underground rail public transit system (see list of rapid transit systems); any of several specific public transport systems, including: Bi-State Development Agency in Missouri and Illinois, d/b/a Metro since 2003 Buffalo Metro...

Another change brought about by the automobile is that modern urban pedestrians must be more alert than their ancestors. In the past one had to worry about being run over by streetcars, kicked in the face by horses, or stepping in horse dung. Now, one must worry about being hit by automobiles at much higher speeds, and breathing noxious exhaust fumes. The Futurama exhibit at the 1939 New York World's Fair showed a City of the Future in which pedestrian and automobile traffic was fully grade-separated. However, for cost reasons, this vision has never come to pass outside of small experiments in a handful of downtowns. See skyway. Futurama is an animated American cartoon series created by Matt Groening (creator of The Simpsons) and David X. Cohen (also a writer for The Simpsons). ... The 1939 New York Worlds Fair, located where Flushing Meadows-Corona Park is now (and where the 1964 New York Worlds Fair was held), was one of the largest worlds fairs of all time. ... This article is about elevated footbridges. ...

The loss of pedestrian-scale villages caused a loss of community connection. People no longer know their neighbors and rarely walk unless they place a high value on exercise. Unfortunately, many people find themselves spending so much time stuck in traffic jams that they do not get as much exercise as they should. For example, since the 1980s, obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. A pedestrian at the intersection of Alinga Street and Northbourne Avenue, Canberra, Australia Look up Pedestrian on Wiktionary, the free dictionary A pedestrian is a person travelling on foot, whether walking or running. ... Marines exercising (attempting to do push-ups). ... The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ...

Also, in countries with high levels of violent crime, most people who exercise prefer to do so in the safety of their home or in subscriber-only fitness clubs (which they drive to and from). A violent crime or crime of violence is a crime in which the offender uses or threatens violent force upon the victim. ...

An example of large people visiting a large store in large vehicles.

Costco Wholesale warehouse in Ontario, California. ... Costco Wholesale warehouse in Ontario, California. ...

Advent of suburban society

Because of the automobile, the outward growth of cities accelerated, and suburbs began developing rapidly for the first time. Until the advent of the automobile, factory workers lived close to the factory or a railroad line that led to the factory. The automobile allowed them to live miles away from the factories or other workplace in the city centre, without losing their job. The developing suburbs created few local jobs, and most residents commute elsewhere to their jobs. It has been suggested that Suburbia be merged into this article or section. ... A factory (previously manufactory) or manufacturing plant is a large industrial building where workers manufacture goods. ... In classical economics and all micro-economics labour is one of three factors of production, the others being land and capital. ...

Shopping centers were then built in or near suburbs to save residents trips to the city. The shopping centers provided enough goods and services to reduce the need of suburban residents to visit the city. For the traditional meaning of the word mall, see mall. ...

Car culture

The car had a significant effect on the culture of the middle class. Automobiles were incorporated into all parts of life from music to books to movies. Between 1905 and 1908, more than 120 songs were written in which the automobile was the subject. The automotive themes of these songs reflected the general culture of the automotive industry: sexual adventure, liberation from social control, and masculine power. Books centered on motor boys who liberated themselves from the average, normal, middle class life, to travel and seek adventure in the exotic. Car ownership came to be associated with independence, freedom, and increased status. The middle class (or middle classes) comprises a social group once defined by exception as an intermediate social class between the nobility and the peasantry. ... 1905 (MCMV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1908 (MCMVIII) is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Changes to individual lifestyle in America

At the end of the 19th century, Americans put a great deal of emphasis on personal freedom and individual mobility. The automobile encompassed all of these ideals. Individuality, one of the American core values, was increased for the automobile owner. Unfortunately this individual zeal didn’t apply to everyone. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Individualism, in general, is a term used to describe a theoretical or practical emphasis of the individual, as opposed to, and possibly at the expense of, the group. ...

Critics felt that the automobile decreased church attendance, increased sexual activity, and weakened family unity. A popular religious magazine of the day, the Independent, argued that it took away from even more important things. It argued, for example, that middle class men were prone to delay marriage in order to buy an automobile. It then argued that the automobile led to an augmented divorce rate, due to an increased stress rate over car payments. Others felt that couples delayed having children or even had fewer children, owing to the expense. Despite these negative impacts on American culture, the automobile had numerous benefits. Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the ending of a marriage before the death of either spouse, which can be contrasted with an annulment which is a declaration that a marriage is void, though the effects of marriage may be recognized in such unions, such as spousal support, child custody...

Social status

The automobile signifies much more to many than simply a mode of transportation. Henri Lefebvre called the automobile "the epitome of possessions". In the early years, when the first automobiles were imported to America from France for the bourgeois and elite, the car served as a mark of distinction above all others. The automobile rapidly became a symbol of social status, and in some cases, a fashion item. The automobile, more than almost any other possession, allowed people to flaunt wealth. Not only was the ownership of an automobile demonstrative of a certain level of income and prestige (and still is, especially in poorer nations where the automobile isn't ubiquitous), it is also highly visible. Henri Lefebvre, born June 16, 1901, died 1991 was a French Marxist sociologist, intellectual and philosopher. ... 1. ... ... Bourgeois at the end of the thirteenth century. ... Social status is the standing, the honour or prestige attached to ones position in society. ...

Recreation

The creation of good roads and dependable automobiles changed recreation and vacations. Before the automobile, resorts were predominantly found near the coast or a railroad. If people did not live near either one, then they were unlikely to be able to visit one. Once the automobile became abundant, resorts sprang up that were off the beaten path. Resorts appeared in scenic places, far away from the hectic life of the cities. In the United States, national parks became popular tourist attractions and developed designs with automobile travelers in mind. Tigers playing in the water. ... This article is on vacation as time off. ... A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation. ... Yosemite National Park in the United States. ...

Safety

Automobile accidents caused many deaths before automobile safety laws were implemented. To this date, automobiles remain a major cause of accidental death and injury, not to mention emotional stress. Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Law Law topics overview List of areas of law List of legal topics List of legal terms List of jurists List of legal abbreviations List of case law lists List of law firms Further reading Cheyenne Way: Conflict & Case Law in Primitive Jurisprudence, Karl... Death is the cessation of physical life in a living organism, or the state of the organism after that event. ... Injury is damage or harm caused to the structure or function of the body caused by an outside agent or force, which may be physical or chemical. ... Stress (roughly the opposite of relaxation) is a medical term for a wide range of strong external stimuli, both physiological and psychological, which can cause a physiological response called the general adaptation syndrome, first described in 1936 by Hans Selye in the journal Nature. ...

Drivers of automobiles are able to move relatively quickly in and out of inner-city urban cores. In comparison to pedestrians or users of mass transit, they are slightly less vulnerable to mugging, but are naturally vulnerable to crimes like carjacking, to torts like injuries sustained in car accidents, and to the inconvenience of vehicle breakdowns. Driving is the controlled operation of a vehicle, which is usually a motor vehicle such as a truck, bus, motorcycle, or car. ... Inner City on MTV Inner City is an American house music group, that was popular in the early 1990s. ... A pedestrian at the intersection of Alinga Street and Northbourne Avenue, Canberra, Australia Look up Pedestrian on Wiktionary, the free dictionary A pedestrian is a person travelling on foot, whether walking or running. ... In the United States of America, transit describes local area common carrier passenger transportation configured to provide scheduled service on fixed routes on a non-reservation basis. ... Mugging may refer to: A type of robbery. ... Dramatised carjacking In the United States, carjacking is the crime of motor vehicle theft from a person who is present. ... In the common law, a tort is a civil wrong, other than a breach of contract for which the law provides a remedy. ... A car accident in Yate, near Bristol, England, in July 2004. ...

The automobile expanded the role, abilities and efficiency of the emergency services such as the response to a emergency calls for firefighters or paramedics. Emergency services are public services that deal with emergencies and other aspects of Public Safety. ... Firefighter in full turn out gear with a pickhead axe. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Car-oriented convenience

An American post office with a drive-through lane in front

Many aspects of daily life in the First World industrialized countries reflect an impulse to make life convenient for car users. Image File history File links Cupertinopostoffice. ... Image File history File links Cupertinopostoffice. ... Small-town post office and town hall in Lockhart, Alabama A post office is a facility (in most countries, a government one) where the public can purchase postage stamps for mailing correspondence or merchandise, and also drop off or pick up packages or other special-delivery items. ... The terms First World, Second World, and Third World were used to divide the nations of Earth into three broad categories. ...

Without having to exit one's car, a resident of a typical large North American city may accomplish the following: World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is a continent in the northern hemisphere bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the... Montreal skyline at night For alternate meanings see city (disambiguation) A city is an urban area that is differentiated from a town, village, or hamlet by size, population density, importance, or legal status. ...

• Buy gasoline at a gas station (in areas where full service is still available)
• Have the car washed
• Obtain cash from an ATM
• Buy many different kinds of fast food, and eat it
• Buy freshly prepared coffee or other such highly specialized beverages
• Deposit mail for delivery by the postal service
• Drop off apparel for dry cleaning
• Pick up and pay for prescription drugs at a pharmacy
• Return library books, videotapes, or almost any other small object that is regularly lent to the public

Gasoline is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture consisting primarily of hydrocarbons, used as fuel in internal combustion engines. ... Modern gas station A filling station, gas station or petrol station is a facility that sells fuel for road motor vehicles – usually petrol (US: gas/gasoline), diesel fuel and LPG. The term gas station is mostly particular to the United States of America and Canada, where petrol is known as... The term wash can mean several things: Cleaning A wash is the act of cleaning. ... Cash usually refers to money in the form of currency, such as bills or coins. ... Outdoor ATMs may be free-standing, like this kiosk, or built into the side of banks or other buildings. ... Fast food is food prepared and served quickly at a fast-food restaurant or shop at low cost. ... Coffee is a drink, usually hot, prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant. ... The word drink is primarily a verb, meaning to ingest liquids, see Drinking. ... Postbox redirects here. ... (See also List of types of clothing) Introduction Humans often wear articles of clothing (also known as dress, garments or attire) on the body (for the alternative, see nudity). ... This article is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... A prescription drug is a medication that is regulated by legislation to require a prescription before it can be obtained. ... Bowl of Hygeia Pharmacy (from the Greek φάρμακον = drug) is the profession charged with assuring the safe use of medication. ... Modern-style library In the traditional sense of the word, a library is a collection of books and periodicals. ... Look up book in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Bottom view of VHS videotape cassette with magnetic tape exposed Videotape is a means of recording television pictures and accompanying sound onto magnetic tape as opposed to movie film. ...

Environmental changes

The automobile is one of the most destructive modern influences on the environment. For a large part of its development, no consideration was given to concerns such as air pollution, destruction caused by road-building, and the massively increased consumption of limited natural resources, most notably petroleum. Some of these concerns are now starting to be addressed in some parts of the world. European Union is the leader in that, and it has many possibilities to do so, for example because the cities in Europe are planned to pedestrians and mass transit, before the automobile became common. This power plant in New Mexico releases sulfur dioxide and particulate matter into the air. ... Nodding donkey pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario Petroleum (from Greek petra – rock and oleum – oil), crude oil, sometimes colloquially called black gold, is a thick, dark brown or greenish liquid. ...

See also

• The carfree movement
• Congestion
• External costs
• Mobility
• Pollution
• Social mobility
• Social status
• Systemics
• Urban sprawl