The Impact of the Automobile on Society - Research Paper Example

The Impact of the Automobile on Society The Impact of the Automobile on Society Since its invention in the last quarter of the nineteenth century, the automobile has had far reaching impacts on the global society. Many of these impacts are positive and cut across the social, political, economic, and environmental spheres of life. The technology has enhanced social and cultural interaction among people through improved mobility. The technology has promoted trade within and among nations by facilitating the movement of goods and labor. Politically, the automobile has bolstered the ability of governments to administer vast countries and render essential services. Despite these positive effects, the automobile has also had some negative impact, especially on the environment. Every day, vehicles emit tones of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, causing air pollution. This problem calls for engineering to help develop vehicles that will minimize pollution while still offering the safety and comfort that technology can deliver today. Introduction In 1895, during a newspaper interview, Thomas Edison, an American inventor, stood at the edge of time and gazed into the horizon. They saw a future of unbounded potential in which the horseless carriage would reign. They added that it would only a question of time before their prophecy happened. At the time, many would have dismissed Edison as an idle dreamer. Carriages driven by horses were the main means of transportation then (National Academy of Engineering, 2014). As one would suspect, these were pricey and a preserve of the rich. Today, over a century after Thomas Edison pronounced their prophecy, the automobile is the dominant means of movement. This paper examines the impact of the automobile on society at a global scale. By the term "automobile" is meant widest scope to include public transit and heavy commercial vehicles. Background The modern car was born in 1886 when Karl Benz, a German inventor, built the Benz Patent-Motorwagen. However, the car had to wait until the early 1900s to become widespread. Ford Motor Company’s Model T was one of the earliest cars to be produced en masse for the public. In the United States, cars rapidly replaced carriages and carts drawn by animals. Soon afterward, there were about ten thousand cars on American roads (National Academy of Engineering, 2014). It had taken much longer before cars were embraced in Europe and elsewhere in the world. The commencement of production of cars on a large scale by Henry Ford in 1914 ushered in an era of ever-increasing affordability for the automobile. Society before the Emergence of the Automobile Prior to the invention of the automobile, carriages and carts drawn by animals were the main means by which people and goods moved from one place to the other. For instance, there were 25 million horses in the US in 1900 (National Academy of Engineering, 2014). Horse-drawn carriages were more expensive and, therefore, a reserve of the rich. These means of transportation had inherent disadvantages. First, they were slow and therefore unsuited for long journeys. Secondly, their carrying capacity was limited. Thirdly, with the exception of posh carriages, they exposed their occupants and cargo to adverse weather elements. Finally, owing to the widespread use animals, it was common for streets in urban centers to be littered with dung. Given the limitations of animal power, people tended to stick to short journeys. This tendency to avoid longer journeys compromised social and cultural interaction. People who wished to maintain close contact with their families could not settle far from their families. For this reason, it was common for a person to be born, grow up, school, marry, work and die in their locality without ever venturing too far. This scenario did little to unite people beyond their ethnic communities. In addition, for lack of exposure to cultures other than their own, people tended to have limited viewpoints of life and the world around them. Economically, before the invention of the automobile, subsistence means of production were dominant (Wu, Sun, Jia, & Yan, 2008). Because they had limited means by which to get their produce to markets, people tended to produce just enough for their consumption. Farmers who lived near urban centers benefited from their proximity to these settlements. Even so, they were grossly limited in the quantity of goods they could deliver to the market at a go. This scenario contrasts greatly with conditions today. The automobile has made it possible for a farmer to produce a crop from one end of their country and sell it to the other end or even to another country situated in a different continent. Politically, people tended to organize themselves into small settlements that could be administered with relative ease (Wu, Sun, Jia, & Yan, 2008). For instance, the Chief could easily ride their horse of camel or walk through their territory and resolve disputes when they arose. By contrast, today, the automobile together with other inventions such as the telephone makes it possible a government to administer a country as vast as the United States. Prior to the automobile, such vast an undertaking would fail. It was for this reason that ancient China comprised numerous kingdoms that pitted against one another for supremacy. Today, the automobile, together with other technologies and factors have made it possible for this vast country to remain unified as a nation. Before the advent of the car, the average person who could not afford to own an animal-driven cart or carriage made virtually all their short day-to-day journeys on foot(Wu , Sun, Jia, & Yan, 2008). This way, they kept fit and avoided many of the so-called lifestyle diseases that are prevalent in today’s society. By contrast, most people today are heavily dependent on the motor car. Even those who cannot afford a private car have public transport at their disposal. At a small fee, they can commute from home to work and back. For a higher fee, they can make longer journeys across the country. Impact of the Automobile The advent of the automobile in 1886 and its subsequent mass production starting the early twentieth century has had far-reaching impacts on society, both positive and negative. Economically, the automobile has enhanced trade within and among countries (Wu, Sun, Jia, & Yan, 2008). For instance, it is possible today for a farmer in one country to sell their produce to consumers in a neighboring country. Alternatively, by combining road transport with other modes such as air and water, they can sell their produce to consumers located several thousands of miles away. Manufacturers can move goods from their warehouses to retail stores to meet demand as it rises. In this way, the automobile helps in creating wealth for individuals, families, organizations and governments. Socially, the automobile has promoted social and cultural interaction (Landing, 1972). Today, owing to the increased mobility brought about by the automobile, people can travel to cities far from localities in search for economic opportunities. In the process, they meet and interact with people from different cultures and ethnicities – people they might never have met if they had remained in their places of birth. This interaction fosters understanding and unity not only among the citizen of a country, but also among people of different nationalities. For instance, a native of New Mexico who lives and works in Alaska gets to learn and appreciate the culture of Alaskans. Politically, the automobile and the accompanying development of road networks makes it possible for governments to administer vast countries, both geographically and population-wise (Wu, Sun, Jia, & Yan, 2008). Prior to the emergence of the automobile, this was a much more difficult task. The world over, one of the basic functions of the government is to provide basic services to its citizens. Some of these, commonly described as "public goods", include education, healthcare, and security. By their nature, some of these services are either too sensitive or unattractive to be provided by the private sector. The automobile, combined with all the associated technologies, has enhanced the ability of governments to render these services. The automobile has improved access to healthcare by bolstering connectivity (Wu, Sun, Jia, & Yan, 2008). As a result, more people today have access to health services than was the case at the beginning of the twentieth century. Even so, it important to note that this is a general statement. While it may hold true for virtually all developed, the case is different in many developing countries of the world. In most of these countries, and especially in their remote regions, health facilities are either lacking or, where they exist, they are poorly equipped and maintained. Moreover, in many of these remote regions, roads are poor or lacking in the first place, thereby hampering access to the few available health facilities. The widespread use of the automobile has had some negative impacts, especially on the environment. Most vehicles are powered by either gasoline or diesel. The average vehicle emits about nine kilograms of carbon dioxide per gallon of gasoline (Chandler, 2011). The average car running on diesel emits even more carbon dioxide per liter of the fuel – slightly over ten kilograms. Many governments are taking to fiscal policies to influence car purchase decisions. For instance, the US has the gas guzzler tax that is designed to discourage people from buying cars that consume more fuel per unit distance traveled, thereby releasing more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Despite these measures, cars remain a major source of air pollution, especially in urban settings. Evaluation of the Impacts Overall, the positive impacts of the automobile far outweigh their negative effects. For this reason, the dominance of the car is here to stay. What needs to be is to design vehicles that will maximize the benefits of the technology while keeping the adverse environmental effects. Steps in this direction are already underway. Already, leading automobile manufacturers are developing alternative technologies for car propulsion, away from the monopoly of the internal combustion engine that is designed to run on gasoline or diesel (Chandler, 2011). These technologies include gasoline/electric hybrid and battery electric cars. While there are a few hybrid cars on the roads, such as Toyotas Prius, a lot more needs to be done to completely phase out oil-powered cars. Whereas there are many alternatives to the automobile, including aircraft, trains, bicycles and walking, none of these alternatives rivals the automobile in its flexibility and convenience. Nonetheless, governments are taking measures to reduce over-reliance particularly on the private car. For instance, governments in developed countries are taking policy and other measures to encourage private car owners to park their vehicles at home and instead ride a bus or train or cycle to work. Consequently, many cities in the developed world are implementing pedestrianization schemes to motivate people to cycle or walk to work. Implications for Engineering Based on this analysis of the impact of the automobile on society, the work of engineers is well cut out. So far, it appears, engineers have invested their creative energies designing bolder, more beautiful and attractive cars. This is understandable in light of ever growing competition in the industry. However, engineers must now start to think seriously ways of developing automobiles that are friendlier to the environment. Admittedly, some steps have been made toward this end as evidenced by Toyota’s hybrid car, Prius. The challenge ahead is to build eco-friendly vehicles while observing passenger safety and comfort (Chandler, 2011). Conclusion Until late in the nineteenth century, animal-powered carts and carriages were the predominant means of mobility for people and good. These were limited in speed and capacity. Then came the automobile late in the nineteenth century. Taking off to a slow start in the United States and even slower start in Europe and elsewhere in the world, the technology gained momentum with Henry Ford’s idea of mass production in 1914. Since then, the technology has never looked back. It has revolutionized transportation has nothing else has ever done. With the technology came a bundle of impacts, both positive and negative. The most obvious of the adverse effects of the automobile is environmental pollution. This problem challenges engineering to build more eco-friendly cars while maintaining safety and comfort. References Chandler, J. (2011). Progress of the Automobile Industry in Regard to Automobile Exhaust and Air Pollution. American Industry Hygiene Association Journal, 20(6) 488-493. Landing, J. (1972). The Amish, the automobile and social interaction. Journal of Geography, 71(1) 52-57. National Academy of Engineering. (2014). Automobile History Part 1- Early Years. Retrieved from Greatachievements.org retirved from http://www.greatachievements.org/?id=3871 Wu, G., Sun, Y., Jia, J., & Yan, Y. (2008). Evaluating automobile effects on the socio-economic–natural complex ecosystem in Beijing. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 15(4) 337-344. Read More