A vehicle with wheels, intended for passenger transport on roads. It is powered by a gasoline or petroleum-based internal combustion engine and has a transmission system.
Cars come in a variety of sizes and designs, from inexpensive to high-performance.
Automotive technology has developed rapidly since the beginning of the twentieth century, as hundreds of small manufacturers competed for attention. Key innovations included electric ignition and the electric self-starter (both by Charles Kettering, for the Cadillac Motor Company in 1910-1911), independent suspension, and four-wheel brakes.
