Effects of the car on societies

Since the 20th century, the role of the car has become highly important. It is used throughout the world and has become the most popular mode of transport in the more developed countries. In developing countries, the effects of the car on society are not as visible, however they are significant. The development of the car built upon the transport revolution first started by railways. This has introduced sweeping changes in employment patterns, social interactions, infrastructure and the distribution of goods.

The effects of the car on everyday life have been a subject of controversy. The introduction of the mass-produced car represented a revolution in mobility and convenience. The modern negative consequences of heavy automotive use include the use of non-renewable fuels, a dramatic increase in the rate of accidental death as a result of road traffic accidents, the disconnection of community, the rise in obesity, the generation of air and noise pollution, urban sprawl, and urban decay.

In the early 20th century, cars entered mass production. The United States produced 45,000 cars in 1907, but 28 years later, in 1935, this had increased nearly 90-fold to 3,971,000. This increase in production required a new large work force. In 1913 there were 13,623 people working for Ford Motor Company, but by 1915 this had increased to 18,028.Bradford DeLong, author of The Roaring Twenties, tells us that "Many more lined up outside the Ford factory for chances to work at what appeared to them to be (and, for those who did not mind the pace of the assembly line much, was) an incredible boondoggle of a job." There was a surge in the need for workers at big, new high-technology companies such as Ford. Employment increased greatly.

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