Automobiles An automobile or car is a passenger vehicle that usually has four wheels and is moved on land by an engine. A truck is a motor vehicle that is designed to carry heavy loads. The origin of the automobile cannot be attributed to one person, but its history can be traced back to technology developments in Europe. However, it was in the United States where pioneering auto makers like Ransom Olds and Henry Ford began mass-producing cars and made the automobile a major transportation mode. Today, the automobile is the most important way of personal transportation for millions of people around the world, especially in developed countries. People depend on their cars and trucks to travel to and from work, to run errands, to transport goods, to visit friends and relatives, and to travel. The increased number of automobiles that are produced and sold has made the auto industry a global giant. Americans have been described as having a love affair with their automobiles. The U.S. has became a nation on wheels as affordable cars revolutionized our way of life and changed living patterns. The automobile has brought suburban sprawl, motels, shopping centers, superhighways, theme parks, drive-in restaurants, and drive-through banking. The widespread use of automobiles has also brought some major problems that include alarming increases in vehicle accidents and their related injuries and death, exhaust and noise pollution, dependence on fossil fuels, and the need to maintain extensive roadway systems.