The Evolution of the Automobile: What Dreams May Come. By Samantha White

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1 The Evolution of the Automobile: What Dreams May Come White 1 By Samantha White Abstract: Over the years, the automobile has been invented and reinvented again and again. Since the first self-propelled vehicle built in the 1700 s, the face of the automobile has changed drastically starting with the development of the gasoline engine. Today, cars come equipped with hundreds of options such as power windows and Global Positioning Systems that would have never been dreamed of when Henry Ford first produced the Model T. As technology becomes more advanced, we will see even greater changes in the auto industry. The possibility of driverless cars and interactive cars has already been tinkered with and the development of such automobiles is sure to come, possibly sooner than later. Since the beginning of time, man has been a curious little inventor tinkering away at an endless amount of objects in attempt to enhance their performance and make them more applicable. One such invention, the automobile, has changed drastically over the past several decades. Over the years, the automobile has undergone so many impressive alterations in its design, operation, performance, practicality, and efficiency that one can t even begin to fathom all the possibilities that dwell in the future of the automobile. One of the first wheeled vehicles would not even be considered an automobile in today s sense of the word. This vehicle, the horse-drawn wagon, was used as a mode of transportation from about 3000 BC through the early 1800 s.(britanica) Although the addition of the carriage was a nice alternative to traveling on horseback because it was quicker and allowed travelers to carry more supplies and passengers, it still had it s disadvantages. Traveling by wagon was extremely uncomfortable and rather bumpy since a highway system had yet to be invented. Accidents were highly common, and horse-drawn travel was wretched in nasty weather. In 1769, the first self-propelled vehicle was invented by the French engineer Nicolas Joseph Cugnot. Cugnot s machine, powered by a steam engine., was used by the French army to haul artillery. The vehicle, equipped with only three wheels, reached a maximum speed of 2.5 mph and had to stop every fifteen minutes to power-up. The car s engine created steam by burning fuel which heated the water in the boiler. This steam expanded and pushed pistons that turned

2 White 2 the crankshaft, which then turned the wheels. As you can imagine, steam engines are extremely heavy, much to heavy for a car to use efficiently. Although Cugnot s steam-powered car wasn t a complete success, many historians have credited him as being the father of the automobile. In the years to follow, steam engines began to take a back seat to a new type of enginethe electrical engine. Robert Anderson, a Scottish inventor, developed the first electric car, which resembled what many called a horseless carriage. Electric automobiles, like the steampowered vehicles, were extremely heavy and slow. They were also rather expensive and needed to be recharged often. Despite these disadvantages, electric cars experienced a bout of success in the late 1800s when they became the highest selling automobiles in America. However, sales of electric vehicles took a nosedive as a new type of vehicle came to dominated the consumer market. (History of the Automobile) By the end of the 1800s, gas-powered automobiles were starting to gain popularity. The first effective gas engine was actually developed by Nicolaus August Otto in It was the first practical four-stroke internal combustion engine ever built. In 1885, Otto s engine design was perfected by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach. The engine created by Daimler and Maybach was small, lightweight, and fast. It was equipped a gasoline-injected carburetor and a vertical cylinder. The size, speed, and efficiency of [this] engine allowed for a revolution in car design, and on March 8 of 1886, Daimler designed the world s first four-wheeled automobile out of a stagecoach that he adjusted to hold his new engine. (History of Automobile) However, Daimler s automobile was not the first car designed to be operated by an internal combustion engine. Daimler was preceded in this effort by German engineer Karl Benz in On January 29, Karl Benz obtained the first ever patent for his three-wheeled gas-fueled car. Benz didn t develop his first four-wheeled car until Benz started his own car company, Benz & Cie., which became the largest automobile manufacturer in the world by the 1900s. (History of Automobile) By the early 1900s, gas-powered cars were the most popular automobiles on the market. The market was growing for economical automobiles, and the need for industrial production

3 White 3 was pressing. Ransome Eli Olds devised the fundamental concept of the assembly line. He started the automobile industry in Detroit, and his 1901 Curved Dash Oldsmobile was the first automobile to be mass produced in the United States. (History of the Automobile) Around 1913, Henry Ford developed an improved assembly line and installed the first conveyor belt-basted assembly line in his car factory in Ford s Highland Park [in Michigan]. The introduction of the assembly line greatly reduced the cost of automobile production by drastically reducing the assembly time of cars. Henry Ford s most popular car, the Model T, was fully assembled in an impressive 93 minutes. (History of the Automobile) The first Model T was produced on September 27, The Model T was the first automobile mass produced on assembly lines with completely interchangeable parts, and it was the first automobile affordable to the middle class. Its initial selling price was $850, and by the 1920 s, the price of the Model T had been reduced to a mere $300. Production of this vehicle continued through During this time, over 15 million Model T s were sold. (Wikipedia: Model T) Today s cars are nothing like Ford s Model T. Over the years, cars have undergone numerous cosmetic changes. Safety devices such as seat belts and air bags have been developed. Different types of engines such as the V6 and V8 have been introduced. Automobiles are now equipped with power windows and locks, keyless entry, and stealthy alarm systems. Individuals buying cars today can chose from a variety of extra options such as spoilers, premium alloy wheels, fog lights, CD players, and GPS systems. With all these innovations, one can only imagine what the future has in store for the automobile. One of the newest endeavors to enhance the automobile is the introduction of the hybrid. Hybrids are vehicles that exercise multiple propulsion systems to produce power. This most commonly refers to gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles, which use gasoline and electric batteries for the energy used to power internal-combustion engines and electric motors. Today s hybrids are able to replenish their energy supply during use while the vehicle is cruising or idling. However, nearly all hybrids still require gasoline as their sole fuel source-though diesel and

4 White 4 other fuels such as ethanol or plant based oils have also seen occasional use. The new hybrids have several benefits over regular gas-powered automobiles which include less wear and tear on the car s gasoline engine and better gas mileage. The first successful hybrids sold in the United States were the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius which were both introduced in the 1990 s. The Prius has been in high demand since its introduction. Newer designs have more conventional appearance and are less expensive, often appearing and performing identically to their nonhybrid counterparts while delivering 50% better fuel efficiency. (Wikipedia: Hybrids) In addition to hybrids, the introduction of fuel-cell technology is also creating quite a stir in the world of automobiles. Vehicles that run on this new fuel-cell technology are said to be extremely environmental friendly. The fuel cells receive their power by obtaining energy from hydrogen. Unlike gasoline and other oil products, when hydrogen burns it only releases water vapor which would greatly decrease the amount of pollution in the air by eliminating harmful vehicle emissions. The first car to utilize fuel-cell technology is the Honda FCX. The FCX was released in Los Angeles, California in December of Although this technology has great potential, it still has it s disadvantages including the expense of t fuel cells, made partly of platinum, and the ability and resources to safely generate hydrogen that can be utilized by the cells. (JOM April 2003) There are several issues that revolve around the supply of hydrogen. The biggest issue being the ability to provide hydrogen stations (the equivalent of today s gas stations) that are convenient and offer reasonable prices. If hydrogen systems of the future are designed to closely resemble the energy systems of today, distribution costs will be phenomenal, and the hydrogen economy will flop. The storage, delivery, and refueling of hydrogen will be extremely costly especially for the consumer. Clearly, a creative, evolutionary approach is needed, eventually leading to a system that serves both stationary and mobile users, relies on small as well as large hydrogen production facilities, accesses a wide variety of energy feedstocks, incorporates CCk capture and sequestration, and is geographically diverse. (Spergling, Ogden)

5 White 5 The new developments in the automobile industry are amazing, and everyday new innovations are being proposed. With all these hybrids and talks of new fuel sources, it is only natural that cars are now being equipped with artificial intelligence devices. One of these devices is the innovative Onstar program that was introduced by the GM Motor company in As of 2005, it is a standard feature for many General Motors vehicles, and it will be standard on all new GM vehicles sold in North America by (Wikipedia: Onstar) So, what exactly IS Onstar and what can you do with it? Onstar is a communication service that meshes Global Positioning System satellite with a voice-activated hands free cell phone. The OnStar systems keeps the driver connected with the Onstar headquarters ALL the time- 24/7/365. If the driver has a complication, he/she can receive assistance from an OnStar employ at any time day or night. If the driver is involved in an accident, OnStar is immediately notified. Since the service is equipped with GPS, it can pinpoint the exact location of the vehicle and send the police and emergency vehicles to the driver s aid. The OnStar system can help police in the tracking of lost or stolen vehicles. It can also alert drivers of potentially dangerous mechanical problems, and unlock their doors if they accidentally locked their keys in the car. (Wikipedia: Onstar) OnStar may sound like a dream come true, but it does has its downsides. It s great to have the assurance that if you re in an accident or get a flat tire, someone will be notified and help will be dispatched, but isn t a little unnerving as well to have a stranger monitoring your every move? OnStar is equipped with voice recorders, and someone could be listening in and documenting everything you say. I find this to be a little creepy, and I don t think that I m alone. Many people feel that the OnStar system can be an infringement on an individual s privacy. Critics of the technology are raising questions about whether police or others could make use of OnStar s tracking, whether legally or illegally, for surveillance or stalking. Cases have already been cited in which the data collected by the OnStar system was used in court, and there have also been certain accidents when OnStar went against the driver s wishes and notified the police. And what happens when the Onstar technology falls into the wrong hands? I m sure that it is

6 White 6 possible for an experienced hacker to infiltrate Onstar s computer system. If this happens, they would have access to the whereabouts of millions of Onstar prescribers. I m sure someone could cause a great deal of damage if they were able to access the OnStar database. For now, I d say it s a good thing that OnStar is an optional service. Besides, OnStar won t be around that long anyway. If technology keeps advancing at it s current rate, people won t even have to drive cars. I predict that within the next 50 to 100 years, it is a likely possibility that cars will be able to drive themselves. Development on an automated highway system is already underway. What exactly is an automated highway system, anyway? An automated highway system (AHS) or Smart Roads, is an advanced Intelligent transportation system technology designed to provide for driverless cars on specific rights-of-way. It is most often touted as a means of traffic congestion relief, since it drastically reduces following distances and thus allow more cars to occupy a given stretch of road. (Wikipedia: AHS) So, how exactly does this automated highway system work? These smart roads contain magnetized spikes placed equal distances apart in the center of the road. The vehicle uses these spikes to monitor it s speed and keep the vehicle in the center of the appropriate lane. The smart cars will also be equipped with power steering and automatic speed control that are monitored by the car s computer system. The cars organize themselves into platoons of eight to twenty-five cars. The platoons drive themselves a meter apart, so that air resistance is minimized. The distance between platoons is the conventional braking distance. If anything goes wrong, the maximum number of harmed cars should be one platoon. A forerunner of the automated highway system has already been tested in San Diego along I-15. However, despite the technical success of the program, investment has moved more toward autonomous intelligent vehicles rather than building specialized infrastructure. (Wikipedia: AHS) How great would it be to have a car that you never have to drive? If you re in the mood for pizza, just have your car go pick it up for you. If you need to return a movie to the video store, deposit a check at the bank, or pick up the dry-cleaning, let your handy dandy smart-

7 White 7 mobile take care of it. Of course, banks and video stores and the like will have to be modified to interact with smart cars, but if we can create a car that drives itself, surely we can modify a building so that it can cater to an automobile. But if the driver-less car and the automated highway system doesn t work out, there is always the possibility of interactive cars. I think that interactive cars like these will be on the market much sooner than most people think. When I say interactive car, I am referring to a vehicles like Herbie and Kitt that possess enough artificial intelligence to reason, interact, and possibly even hold conversations with the driver. Interactive cars, like smart cars, will also be able to drive themselves. However, they can also be driven by a human. Interactive cars will also replace the need for cruise control. The driver can simply tell the car to drive 55 mph, and the car, ideally, will obey the command. This type of technology may even be integrated into other means of transportation such as semi-trucks. Interactive semis would be able to transport goods more quickly because stopping for sleep would no longer be an issue. Also, the frequency of accidents could be reduced because the truck would also be able to see it s surroundings and take the necessary precautions, such as slowing down or changing lanes, more quickly than the driver could. Technology is a many splendored thing that has allowed us to make momentous changes to the automobiles over the years. We started out in a horse-drawn buggy that developed into a steam-powered carriage, and eventually evolved into gasoline-electric hybrid fully equipped with power windows, power locks, a cd player, and a Global Positioning System to ensure that we re always on the right road. The automobile has changed so drastically over the years that it is impossible to determine what automobiles 300 years in the future will be capable of. But one things is certain; the possibilities are endless.

8 White 8 Works Cited Automated Highway System. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 5 December < Automobile. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 5 December < The History of Cars. Automobile History. Acessed 3 December < "Debut of hydrogen fuel-cell car garners enthusiasm, debate. " JOM 55.4 (2003): 9. ABI/INFORM Complete. ProQuest. Torreyson Library, UCA, Conway. 8 Dec < Daniel Sperling, Joan Ogden "The Hope for Hydrogen. " Issues in Science and Technology 20.3 (2004): Research Library. ProQuest. Torreyson Library, UCA, Conway. 6 Dec < Hybrid Vehicle. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 5 December < OnStar. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 5 December <

9 Referenced Works White 9 "Transportation, history of." Encyclopædia Britannica Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 12 Dec < Knight Rider. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 3 December < Antoinette Duplessis. When Horse Was King. University of Toronto. 2 December <

10 Recommended Readings White 10 Bob Grtizinger. Under the Hood, with Big Brother. Autoweek. 8 November November < Daniel Sperling, Joan Ogden "The Hope for Hydrogen. " Issues in Science and Technology 20.3 (2004): Research Library. ProQuest. Torreyson Library, UCA, The History of Cars. Automobile History. < This History of the Hybrid Vehicle. Advance Auto Parts. <

Inside a typical car engine. Almost all cars today use a reciprocating internal combustion engine because this engine is:

Inside a typical car engine. Almost all cars today use a reciprocating internal combustion engine because this engine is: Tech Torque HOW PETROL ENGINES WORK The Basics The purpose of a gasoline car engine is to convert gasoline into motion so that your car can move. Currently the easiest way to create motion from gasoline