The Invention of the Automobile The automobile has developed from a luxury for the rich into the standard for transportation. This development introduced changes in the places people lived, infrastructure, and formed problems for the next generation. Although the automobile has been a revolutionary invention in mobility and convenience, the modern consequences of the automobile use contributes to the use of non-renewable fossil fuels, and accidental death along with a rise in obesity and the generation of air pollution and global warming.

Although historians disagree on the actual inventor of the first American automobile, the credit is given to Charles E. and J. Frank Duryea [1]. They were the first to successfully develop and market the gasoline automobile that most resembles the cars in use today. They gained notoriety by winning the first American Automobile race in 1895 sponsored by the Chicago Times-Herald [1]. When the automobile was first produced, it was a plaything for the rich. Even though it was not completely mechanically sound, automobiles became popular with the wealthy for day trips and longer duration vacations. This new invention gave people a way to go farther then the average traveler. It shrunk the size of countries. This travel couldn’t be possible without the change in the infrastructure of land. The first roads that were made for cars were the products of the Good Roads Movement. The movement was focused on building “farm-to-market roads”[1]. This allowed farmers to avoid railroads and save time. Public interest in distance and cross-country transportation led to the formation of the Lincoln Highway Association in 1913[1]. Its goal was to create a transcontinental roadway. By 1916 the highway lobby lead to the Federal Aid Road Act, it provided 75 million for improving rural roads. Since this was the first time it marked the beginning of the formation of laws providing grants to states to develop a national system of interconnected roads. This was also the start of taxing gasoline to help pay for the construction and upkeep for the highways.

Now that the car was available to consumers, people started moving away from the cities. This was the start of the middle class suburban life. Living in the city put constraints on how far one would travel to work, acquired food, exchange services and visit friends [2]. After World War II, many men were coming home causing a severe shortage in US housing. The GI bill of 1944 provided money to educate and build houses for the returning soldiers [2]. William Levitt bought thousands of acres of land outside New York and Philadelphia and went on to plan out the construction of towns made with prefabricated houses [2]. These towns were mass-produced using thousands of low-cost homes with shopping centers, playgrounds, swimming pools, and community halls, schools. This also expanded to the automobile industry making cars a widespread commodity. Automobiles made it possible to live in these “Levittown’s” and work in the city. By 1958 the infrastructure was under stress. The Interstate Highway Act connected all the major cities in the United States with highways [2]. This added to the success of the automobile and made it feasible to live in the suburban neighborhood with single family homes and be able to get anywhere at anytime. Cars need fuel to run. But our consumption of fossil fuels is depleting the earth’s resources. In 2010, the world used just under 87,000 barrels of crude oil per day [3]. This number is up from 1980 where about 60,000 barrels were used per day [3]. While digging and getting the crude oil harms the earth, the refining of oil to gasoline also hurts the environment. Refining oil releases harmful greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. Once gasoline is made cars can consume it producing power and exhaust. The exhaust contains carbon monoxide and other various hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides. This produces smog and ozone creating the greenhouse effect. Research shows that moving vehicles have the highest impact on greenhouse emissions [4]. There are 450 million cars on the road today and accounts for a fifth of greenhouse gas emissions and have negative effects on land use and air quality [4]. Personal transportation accounts for 40% of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, 33% of toxic water pollution, and over 45% of toxic air emissions [4]. The bottom line is that conventional cars are soaking up our natural resources and releasing harmful gasses into our environment. Accidental deaths due to cars are astronomically high. According to “notnoboringlife.com” accidental deaths by car crash is ranked number one in the United States. Number two is “falling” coming in at 15,000 deaths per year [5]. Then car crashes at number one cake 44,000 deaths per year [5]. At number nine, getting hit by a car claims 1,150 deaths per year [5]. This totals to 45,150 accidental deaths by motor vehicle per year. Causes of accidents can be due to driver error or mechanical error. Driver error can be categorized by driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, distracted driving by talking and texting and not being cautious to road conditions. Mechanical errors may be tire blowouts, failed brakes, broken accelerators, and non-deploying airbags.

America has become so dependent on the car that we will use it to go right down the street to the deli or supermarket rather then walk. People have become lazy. There is an obesity epidemic in America. We have designed our cities and suburbs for driving and not walking. “The activity of driving to work should be better thought of as inactivity, and all that time sitting on your butt is slowly eating away at your cardiovascular health – and probably adding to your waistline. Those who have farther to travel tend to see the worse results…”[6]. On top of this inactivity, is the invention of “drive-thru” service? Almost any fast food restaurant has a drive-thru lane. This lets you buy food without ever leaving your car. Today you can pick up your prescriptions and drugs from a drive thru drug store.

Everything in today’s world is built around convenience. The ability to travel anywhere at anytime made the car a hit. America changed because of it. It changed cities and suburbs. Created drive-thru service and changed America infrastructure. In addition to that many negatives have came about. Cars have expedited the depletion of natural resources and have created a generation of air pollution and global warming. It has contributed to the obesity of our nation and is the top cause of accidental death. The car was a great invention and serves great purpose. But it is now the time for alternative resources to help power America into the new green generation.

Works Cited
1. "The Automobile in American History and Culture: A Reference Guide." Google Books. Web. 05 June 2012. .
2. "A Brief History of the Growth of Suburbs." The Impact of the Automobile on the 20th Century. Web. 05 June 2012. .
3. World Crude Oil Consumption by Year." (Thousand Barrels per Day). Web. 05 June 2012. .
4. "Some Facts About Global Warming and Vehicles." The Daily Green. Web. 05 June 2012. .
5 ."Top 10 Causes of Accidental Death." Top 10 Causes of Accidental Death. Not So Boring Life. Web. 05 June 2012. .
6. "Obesity Rates Keep Soaring, In Part Because Of Car Dependence." ThinkProgress. Web. 05 June 2012. .