Having your own vehicle allows you to get around much more quickly and efficiently than if you depended on public transportation. It also provides you with greater safety and security as long as you obey the traffic laws and are a responsible driver. Moreover, it’s easy to take on short trips with your family in your own car.

The automobile revolutionized American society by giving people more freedom and flexibility with their leisure time. It allowed people from urban areas to escape to the countryside, and it also made it possible for people living in the country to visit city centers. As the middle class grew in the early 20th century, more people could afford to buy cars, and they became a common sight on America’s streets and highways.

Karl Benz is usually credited with inventing the first gasoline automobile, though many others contributed to its development. Henry Ford was one such figure, and he innovated modern assembly line manufacturing methods with his Model T. This helped reduce production costs and make the car affordable to the general public.

In the 1920s, Ford introduced a plant in Charlotte, North Carolina, and by 1936, it was the largest car factory in the South. North Carolina has a rich automotive history, and the state’s roads still showcase many historic automobile landmarks.

During World War II, automakers put aside nonautomotive production in order to produce for the war effort. They produced several million military vehicles and other essential war materials, amounting to one-fifth of the nation’s total war production. After the war, engineering was subordinated to questionable aesthetics and nonfunctional styling, and quality deteriorated to the point that by the 1960s American-made cars were often characterized as “gas guzzlers” by critics concerned with their environmental impact and drain on dwindling world oil reserves.