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Advancements in Automobiles
The automobile was invented back in 1885. Now in the 21st century, cars are becoming faster, stronger, more heavy-duty and further technologically advanced every year. Current models are safer than any other in history, with the introduction of many safety components as well as the improvements of numerous pre-existing technologies. In the past decade or two, worldwide it has become more of a fuel-economic society with the prices of oil at an all-time high. As soon as automobiles were invented man has strived to go faster and faster, with specializations of body parts to enhance the machines possibilities. None of these advancements could have reached their maximum ability without the road expansions which have made travelling easier and faster.
The modern world could not operate without roads. It is a way of life with almost every family in the western world owning an automobile. In Australia alone, billions of dollars are spent on road maintenance and enhancements each year, such as new bridges and highway development. Highways are the public’s main source of transportation to reach other towns and cities with the increased speed limits to make travelling quicker. In contrast town roads are designed for short travel with many streets and sharp turns to negotiate at slower speeds and for the pedestrians to cross at convenient places like traffic lights. Research studies in the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States have shown that human issues contribute to 95 % of accidents, road factors only to about one fifth of that percentage and vehicle factors to fewer than 5%.
With road improvements speed has been allowed to rise, except for special reasons like school and residential areas where the limit has been lowered. Current speed limits are necessary. The speeds on normal roads range from 40km/h to 110km/h which is due to the series of road situations in Australia whether it is on a highway to a school zone. Specialization of motor vehicles is a very common process which allows the driver to enhance his/her automobile to obtain the desired appearance or performance ability. It is only when this process gets out of control that the driver becomes a risk.
The people of today don’t want a traditional gas guzzler which was the pride and joy of many motorists in the late seventies early eighties. But they crave an automobile that uses the least fuel possible to save on money. The oil prices today are staggeringly high with the world oil supplies believed to only have about eighty years until these provisions expire if the current level of production is continued. With this statistic in mind automobile companies have been developing automobiles that perform so that fuel consumption is low and in some cases manufacturers have been experimenting with electrical and solar-powered cars. These two types of cars have been developed to reduce the traffic pollution caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels, mainly oil in the form of petrol. They produce no harmful exhaust fumes, and do not absorb power when [next page]