Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Automotive History

It's almost impossible to imagine what the world would be like without automobiles. Not only do the facilitate travel, vehicles also have an immense effect on trade, our medical and emergency system and society in general.

The first steam powered vehicles were built as long ago as during the 1600's by Ferdinand Verbiest. This vehicle was not used to carry people but rather goods. It wasn't until 1885 that the first fuel powered vehicle was actually developed.

The ability of vehicles to actually transport passengers as well as goods definitely revolutionized travel and trade; the world hasn't been the same since. It was Nikolaus Otto who invented the first gasoline powered engine; this is the engine that is generally available in most cars in the world. The diesel engine was named after its inventor; Rudolf Diesel. Diesel engines have a very high efficiency rate and are available with either two or four strokes.



Many American inventors worked on developing steam powered vehicles during the late nineteenth century. Many competitions were held were inventors presented their designs. Competitions were held where inventors displayed how fast their vehicles could travel.

Panhard et Levassor and Peugot were the first two companies to start automobile production for mass consumption in France. Peugot is still one of Europe's most popular vehicle brands to this day. The Duryea Motor Wagon company was the first company in the U.S to start mass production on a large scale.

The petroleum industry was developed in response to the needs for fuel. Companies had to learn how to manufacture large quantities of gasoline due to the high demand. The automotive industry is still evolving and progressing. The 21st century has brought with it technology such as Bluetooth technology, pedestrian safety sensors and vehicle systems which can be controlled via voice command.

The automotive industry is far from stagnating; it's constantly developing and new technology and discoveries are being made every day. Hybrid cars are also becoming immensely popular due to gas prices and environmental concerns. Auto makers are pushing the envelope when it comes to efficiency; many traditional cars are now averaging over 35 mpg. Ford is currently developing cars that will be able to communicate with one another and possibly avoid car accidents. We have also seen the advent of self-driving cars where the driver can actually sit back and relax while the car is able to maneuver itself in and out of traffic. Looks like the best is still to come when it comes to the automotive world.

Written by Jacqueline Star - Used Cars Los Angeles dealer Galpin has a great selection of used and pre-owned vehicles in stock in L.A at low prices. We are the biggest auto dealership in the area with low prices on some of the top brands.

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