The Motor Industry Has Come A Long Way |
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Ray Hall
10 January 2013
The Motor industry has come a long way since 1885 when Karl Benz put together the first contraption in Germany. The industry quickly became viable with loads of investors getting into the field. By 1929, more than 38 million cars were in the US alone. This meant that there was a car for one in every 5 people in America. This already was an achievement and with the US providing 90% of the cars. Soon Japan took over as the largest producer of cars and China are pushing for that spot today. The advancements have been nothing but phenomenal from simple steam engines to petrol engines and now hybrids and Electric. The development has seen new car brands develop to provide cars for many different needs and styles. The initial purpose was for transportation and functionality. The luxury need was later developed and today we see high flying concept cars coming to being every other day.
Materials It is almost impossible to tell where we are heading in the industry. The materials that were used back in the day were purely metal and leather for interiors. The industry has taken to plastics and carbon fiber among others for improvement and luxury. Engines have been developed using light aluminum and bodies carbon fiber for lightness. Different plastics have been used for support and lining while wood and fabrics ranging from leather and rexin are incorporated into the designs. Cars have become purely instruments of innovation. Functionality and elegance gaps are slowly closing in with earth movers being developed to provide comfort during work. Trucks have been fused with state of the art technology to provide a peace of mind and unmatched comfort for long distance drivers.
Speeds Speed 30 miles per hour was a killer speed in the 1890s. Speeds have since been improved with engines and car systems being developed to give more power. With present speeds of over 260miles per hour, very little is left to the imagination of many. The Buggati Veron, Ferrari, Lamborghini and other supercars have made speed their opium. Cars are being built to provide more horse power like jet engines, and this speed comes with a price in terms of both risk and cost. The motor industry has also claimed many lives on the roads so standard cars come with standard speeds too.
Safety The main concern of the car industries now is safety and functionality. With such speeds being developed, It has become crucial that cars are fitted with more safety features. Airbags have been developed with a fusion of anti-roll bars to increase the chances of survival in high speed crashes, impact and rolling. Volvo ranks as one of the safest vehicles, Mercedes Benz are proving to be very safety conscious too.
These factors are a major concern when buying cars whether used or new. Laws and regulations have been put in place to regulate the automotive business and driving for the safety of the users. The concept car developments however give a good idea of where the industry is headed in the future.