B. Automobile History

The word automobile comes from the Greek word “auto”, meaning “self” and the French word “mobile”, which means “moving”, or “movement”.

Automobile development has passed a long history. The idea of car was given rise as early as the 13^th century by Roger Bacon (1214–94), English philosopher and scientist). His forecasts on cars aroused suspicion those days and Bacon was accused and even sent to prison. Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519, Italian architect, engineer, and scientist) made his studies on designing moving mechanisms in the 15^th century. The mechanisms were designed to employ the muscular energy of their passengers. In 1769 the inventor Nicolas Joseph Cugnot (1725–1804) from France built a steam-driven carriage capable of carrying three passengers at a speed about two miles an hour. Later ideas continued to be developed. Among the inventors who were making their contributionsinto the car development there were scientists and engineers from such countries as Italy, France, Germany, and Great Britain.

Experimental vehicles were built in the 18^th century and mid-19^th century, not until the 1880s did Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz began separately to manufacture cars commercially. The first four-stroke engine was demonstrated by Nikolaus August Otto in 1876. Two more engineers from Germany Daimler and Maybach made a series of studies on the four-stroke cycle. The German’s first engine of this type showed an enormous improvement over early engines in silence and reliability. It may be considered the basis for the internal combustion engine development. In the meantime, another important manufacturing convention took place. In 1890, Armand Peugeot from France, head of a foundry, produced his first motorcar. Rudolf Diesel, a German inventor, designed many heat engines, including a solar powered air engine. In 1893, he published the paper “The Theory and Construction of a Rational Heat Engine” describing an engine with combustion within a cylinder, the internal combustion engine. His engine was the first to prove that fuel could be ignited without a spark. Rudolf Diesel operated his first successful engine in 1897.

The origin of the automobile can be traced to Europe. But it became a major form of transportation first in the United States. In the early 1900s, James and William Packard and Ransom Olds were among the first automakers. Charles Kettering (1876–1958) was the inventor of the first starter motor ignition system. He also went on to inventing ignition system, lacquer finishes for cars, antiknock fuels, leaded gasoline, etc. Henry Ford (1863–1947) began mass-producing cars.

He used the internal combustion engine in his Model T in 1908. Model T was an automobile that was sold for 850 dollars, while others cars were selling for 2,000 dollars. Ford believed that auto was not just for the rich. Ford would soon revolutionize the industry with the use of the assembly line.

In 1930s European manufacturers began to make small affordable cars such as the Volkswagen. In the 1950s and ‘60s, US automakers produced more spacious and more luxurious cars. Volgas were rugged cars for the Russian home market. The Volga was built at the Gorky Auto Plant (GAZ) factory beside the river Volga. The earlier M21 model was imported to the UK in small numbers in the ‘60s. The design managers were A.A. Lipgart and L.M. Eremeev.

The automobile underwent many changes in the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s. Between the 1970s and 80s Japanese manufacturers started to export their small cars throughout the world. Concern with safety and pollution led to design changes and the introduction of new technology. Automobile bodies and engines were made smaller and lighter to save gasoline. Researchers worked on alternatives to the gasoline engine and on fuel-efficient transportation.

The diesel engines of today are refined and improved. They are often used in submarines, ships, large trucks, locomotives, oil-fields, aviation, mines and electric generating plants.

Comprehension Check – B

Date: 2015-12-18; view: 956