Automobile

For the magazine, see Automobile (magazine).

"Car" redirects here. For other uses, see Car (disambiguation).

Automobile
Benz "Velo" model (1894) by German inventorCarl Benz – entered into an early automobile race as a motocycle[1][2]
Classification	Vehicle
Industry	Various
Application	Transportation
Fuel source	Gasoline, Diesel, Electric,Hydrogen, Solar energy
Powered	Yes
Self-propelled	Yes
Wheels	3–4
Axles	1–2
Inventor	Ferdinand Verbiest

Vehicles in use per country from 2001 to 2007. It shows the significant growth in BRIC.

World map of passenger cars per 1000 people

An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor. Most definitions of the term specify that automobiles are designed to run primarily on roads, to have seating for one to eight people, to typically have four wheels, and to be constructed principally for the transport of people rather than goods.^[3]

The year 1886 is regarded the year of birth of the modern automobile - with the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, by German inventor Carl Benz. Motorized wagons soon replaced animal-draftedcarriages, especially after automobiles became affordable for many people when the Ford Model T was introduced in 1908.

The term motorcar has formerly also been used in the context of electrified rail systems to denote a car which functions as a small locomotive but also provides space for passengers and baggage. These locomotive cars were often used on suburban routes by both interurban and intercity railroad systems.^[4]

It was estimated in 2010 that the number of automobiles had risen to over 1 billion vehicles, up from the 500 million of 1986.^[5] The numbers are increasing rapidly, especially in China, Indiaand other NICs.^[6]