An automobile, or motor car, is a wheeled transportation vehicle used for transporting people. It is usually powered by an internal combustion engine using a fuel such as gasoline, diesel, or electric power. Modern automobiles are complex technical systems with a variety of subsystems with specific design functions.
In the late 1800s, Edouard Delamare-Deboutteville and Leon Malandin of France experimented with an internal combustion engine on a tricycle, but during a test drive the tank hose came loose, causing the vehicle to explode. The two men did not build any more vehicles.
Karl Benz, a German engineer, built and patented the first successful gas-powered automobile in 1885. From there, other inventors and engineers developed their own versions. By the early 1900s, the automobile had taken over the streets and highways of Europe and the United States. It allowed for faster travel and gave rise to leisure activities, including hotels and restaurants. But it also brought new problems, such as air pollution and traffic accidents.
A fluid coupling is a device that connects and disconnects a driven shaft from the driving shaft by varying the acceleration and deceleration of working fluid. Several types of transmissions are used in cars, such as belts, chains, and gear drives.
The automotive industry is constantly changing and evolving. The invention of the assembly line revolutionized how cars are made, allowing the price to fall and making them more affordable for middle-class families. But the future of the automobile is uncertain, especially as the world becomes more reliant on electronic devices and as new fuel sources become available.