Automobiles are a means of transportation that allows people to move around and visit places far from their homes. They are often driven by gasoline, although some are powered by other liquid fuels such as kerosene or diesel fuel. Most modern automobiles have a variety of safety features to protect passengers in the event of a crash or other road accident. Some of these are designed to prevent serious injuries or death, such as airbags and crumple zones, while others help passengers escape from a burning vehicle. Automobiles have changed the way many people live, allowing them to spend more time at work or with family and friends. They have also increased the speed of travel, and made it possible for millions to reach medical care more quickly than they would have been able to with horse-powered transport.

The automobile was first developed and perfected in Germany and France in the late 1800s by such men as Gottlieb Daimler, Karl Benz, and Nicolaus Otto. However, the United States soon dominated the industry as manufacturers adapted the assembly line and mass-produced affordable automobiles. Automobiles became a symbol of American wealth and freedom, and helped create new industries and jobs for those who worked on their manufacture or sold them. The automobile also made it possible for families to live farther apart from each other than was previously possible.

Originally, the automobile was powered by steam engines attached to wagons, but better and faster models were produced in the early 1900s. Eventually, most were powered by an internal combustion engine that used the energy from the burning of gasoline to make the wheels turn. Those engines are still the basis of modern automobiles, with research and development continuing to improve them.

Most automobiles have brakes that use friction to stop them when needed and to keep them from rolling while parked. Electric automobiles have regenerative brakes that turn the energy of the moving vehicle back into electricity to power the motor and slow the car down. Other automotive research and development centers on alternative forms of energy such as fuel cells, hydrogen, alternative combustible fuels, compressed air, and other technologies.

There are a number of different types of automobiles, with each type offering different advantages for certain kinds of drivers and passengers. A sedan or saloon, for example, usually has four doors and is seen as a more elegant and refined option than a station wagon, hatchback, or coupe. An SUV, on the other hand, combines the towing capacity of a pickup truck with the passenger-carrying space of a minivan or sedan.