Bajaj Auto

Bajaj Auto Limited

Type Public
Founded 1945
Headquarters Pune, India
Key people Rahul Bajaj (Chairman), Rajiv Bajaj (Managing Director)
Revenue ▲ Rs. 81.063 billion (2005) or USD 1.32 billion
Net income ▲ Rs. 11.016 billion
Employees 10,250 (2006-07)
Website www.bajajauto.com

Bajaj Auto is a major Indian automobile manufacturer. It is India's largest

and the world's 4th largest two- and three-wheeler maker[citation needed]. It
is based in Pune, Maharashtra, with plants in Akurdi and Chakan
(Pune),Waluj (near Aurangabad) and Pantnagar in Uttaranchal. Bajaj Auto
makes and exports motorscooters, motorcycles and the auto rickshaw.

The Forbes Global 2000 list for the year 2005 ranked Bajaj Auto at 1946.[1]

Over the last decade, the company has successfully changed its image from a
scooter manufacturer to a two wheeler manufacturer. Its product range
encompasses scooterettes, scooters and motorcycles. Its real growth in
numbers has come in the last four years after successful introduction of a
few models in the motorcycle segment.

The company is headed by Rahul Bajaj who is worth more than US$1.5
billion.[2]

Bajaj Auto came into existence on November 29, 1945 as M/s Bachraj
Trading Corporation Private Limited. It started off by selling imported two-
and three-wheelers in India. In 1959, it obtained license from the
Government of India to manufacture two- and three-wheelers and it went
public in 1960. In 1970, it rolled out its 100,000th vehicle. In 1977, it
managed to produce and sell 100,000 vehicles in a single financial year. In
1985, it started producing at Waluj in Aurangabad. In 1986, it managed to
produce and sell 500,000 vehicles in a single financial year. In 1995, it
rolled out its ten millionth vehicle and produced and sold 1 million vehicles
in a year.
According to the authors of Globality: Competing with Everyone from
Everywhere for Everything, Bajaj has grown operations in 50 countries by
creating a line of value-for-money bikes targeted to the different preferences
of entry-level buyers.[3]

Timeline of new releases

1960-1970 - Vespa 150 - Under the licence of Piaggio of Italy
1971 - three-wheeler goods carrier
1972 - Bajaj Chetak
1976 - Bajaj Super
1977 - Rear engine Autorickshaw
1981 - Bajaj M-50
1986 - Bajaj M-80, Kawasaki Bajaj KB100
1990 - Bajaj Sunny
1991 - Kawasaki Bajaj 4S Champion
1994 - Bajaj Classic
1995 - Bajaj Super Excel
1997 - Kawasaki Bajaj Boxer, Rear Engine Diesel Autorickshaw
1998 - Kawasaki Bajaj Caliber, Bajaj Legend, India's first four-stroke
scooter, Bajaj Spirit
2000 - Bajaj Saffire
2001 - Eliminator, Bajaj Pulsar
2003 - Caliber115, Bajaj Wind 125, Bajaj Pulsar
2004 - Bajaj CT 100, New Bajaj Chetak 4-stroke with Wonder Gear, Bajaj
Discover DTS-i
2005 - Bajaj Wave, Bajaj Avenger, Bajaj Discover
2006 - Bajaj Platina
2007 - Bajaj Pulsar-200 (Oil Cooled), Bajaj Kristal, Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-
Fi (Fuel Injection) , XCD 125 DTS-Si
2008 - Bajaj Discover 135 DTS-i - sport (Upgrade of existing 135 model)
2009 - (January) Bajaj XCD 135 cc , Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-i , Bajaj
Discover 100 DTS-Si.
[edit]
Spinoffs and acquisitions

The demerger of Bajaj Auto Ltd into three separate corporate entities—Bajaj
Finserv Ltd (BFL), Bajaj Auto Ltd (BAL), and Bajaj Holdings and
Investment Ltd (BHIL)—was completed with the shares listing on May 26,
2008.[4]
In November 2007, Bajaj Auto acquired 14.5% stake in KTM Power Sports
AG (holding company of KTM Sportmotocycles AG). The two companies
have signed a cooperation deal, by which KTM will provide the know-how
for joint development of the water-cooled four-stroke 125 and 250 cc
engines, and Bajaj will take over the distribution of KTM products in India
and some other Southeast Asian nations.[5] Bajaj said it is open to taking a
majority stake in KTM and is also looking at other takeover opportunities.
On the 8th of January 2008, Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj confirmed the
collaboration and announced his intention to gradually increase Bajaj's stake
in KTM to 25%.[6]
[edit]
Products
Main article: List of Bajaj Auto products

Bajaj has made a number of motorcycles, scooters and cars. Motorcycles in

current production are the XCD, Platina, Discover, Pulsar and Avenger. Cars
include the Bajaj ULC ultra-low-cost car.
[edit]
Low cost cars

Bajaj Auto says its $2,500 car, which it is building with Renault and Nissan
Motor, will aim at a fuel-efficiency of 30 km/litre, or twice an average small
car, and carbon dioxide emissions of 100 gm/km. [7]

It is a Tata Nano competitor. The Bajaj venture will have an initial capacity
of 400,000 units, while Tata expects eventual demand of 1 million Nanos.
[edit]
References
^ The Forbes 2000 by Country
^ "India's Richest - #20 Rahul Bajaj". Forbes. Retrieved 2008-12-09.
^ Sirkin, Harold L; James W. Hemerling, and Arindam K. Bhattacharya
(2008-06-11). GLOBALITY: Competing with Everyone from Everywhere
for Everything. New York: Business Plus, 304. ISBN 0446178292.
^ "Bajaj Auto demerger complete". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2009-
05-21.
^ "Bajaj Auto takes 14.5% stake in KTM Sports". business-standard.com.
2007-11-05. Retrieved 2007-12-03.
^ Rina Chandran (2008-01-10). "Bajaj to develop bikes with partner KTM".
Reuters India.
^ ENN: How green is my low-cost car? India revs up debate
Bajaj Chetak

Chetak
Manufacturer Bajaj
Production 1972 - 2006
Class Scooter
Engine 145cc 4 stroke (after 2002) 2 stroke (before 2002)
Top speed 55MPH
Power9BHP
Transmission 4 speed, manual with shifter in the left hand grip
Suspension Swingarm
Brakes Drum
Tires 3.50X10
Weight 103 kg [1]
Fuel capacity 4 Litres, slightly over 1 gallon
This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help
improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced
material may be challenged and removed. (November 2007)

The Bajaj Chetak was a popular Indian-made motor scooter produced by the
Bajaj Auto company. The Chetak is named after Chetak, the legendary horse
of Indian warrior Rana Pratap Singh.

Originally based on the Italian Vespa Sprint, the Chetak was an affordable
means of transportation for millions of Indian families. Around 1980, the
Vespa-licensed design was replaced with an all new in-house design that
shared the same general appearance and style. During its heyday its chief
competitor was LML NV made by LML India as a licensed copy of the
Vespa PX 150. In the face of rising competition, the Chetak lost ground in
India, and production was discontinued in 2005.

Bajaj Pulsar
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bajaj Pulsar DTS-i
Manufacturer Bajaj Auto
Production 2001-present
Class standard
Engine 150 cc/180 cc/200 cc/220 cc Air-cooled, Oil Cooled, four-
stroke cycle, single piston, kick start / electric start
Power20 hp (15 kW) @ 8500 rpm
Torque 19.12 N·m (14.10 lb·ft) @ 6500 rpm
Transmission 5-Gear
Suspension Front: Telescopic fork, 135 mm travel
Rear: Nitrox gas assisted shock Absorbers.
Brakes Front: 240/260 mm (disc)
Rear: 130/230 mm (Drum/Disc)
Tires 17" tube/tubeless
Wheelbase 1320 mm
Weight (dry), 140-149 kg (wet)

Bajaj Pulsar is a motorcycle brand owned by Bajaj Auto in India. The two
wheeler was developed by the product engineering division of Bajaj Auto in
association with motorcycle designer Glynn Kerr Tokyo R&D.[1] Currently
there are four variants available -with engine capacities of 150cc, 180 and
two variants with capacities of 220 cc. More than a million units of Pulsar
were sold by November 2005. A Pulsar 200 variant was discontinued in July
2009.[2] With monthly sales of more than 48,000 units in June 2009, Pulsar
is the leader in the 150 cc segment in India with a market share of 43%[3]

History

Before the introduction of the Pulsar, the Indian motorcycle market trend
was towards fuel efficient, small capacity motorcycles (that formed the 80-
125 cc class). Bigger motorcycles with higher capacity virtually did not exist
(except for Enfield Bullet). The launch and success of Hero Honda CBZ in
1999 showed that there was demand for performance bikes. Bajaj took the
cue from there on and launched the Pulsar twins in India on November 24,
2001. [4] Since the introduction and success of Bajaj Pulsar, Indian youth
began expecting high power and other features from affordable motorcycles.

The project was faced with internal resistance, reservations by Mckinsey and
doubts on its effects on Bajaj's relation with Kawasaki. The project required
approximately 36 months for completion and cost Bajaj Rs 1 billion[5]
[edit]
Specifications Pulsar 150 Pulsar 180 Pulsar 200 DTS-i Pulsar 220
DTS-Fi Pulsar 220 DTS-i
Power (bhp) 14 17 18 20 21
Torque (N-m) 12.8 14.22 17.68 19.1 19.1
Wheel Base(mm) 1330 1350 1350 1350 1350
Weight (kg) 143 147 145 150 151
Top Speed (km/h) 113 118 126 132 144.4

2001

The original Pulsar came with a 150 cc or 180 cc air-cooled, single-cylinder,

petrol, spark-ignited four-stroke engine. They featured a single spark plug to
ignite the air-fuel mixture fed from a carburetor, simple spring shock
absorbers, round headlamp dome and 1,235 mm wheelbase. Disc brakes as
standard equipment was a novelty in Indian motorcycles of the early 2000s.
Other standard features were parking lights and an aircraft-type fuel tank lid.
The 180 cc version came with a twin-tone horn, which was optional
equipment on the 150 cc version. Electric Start (ES) was also offered as an
option on both the bikes.
[edit]
2003

The second generation Pulsars featured Bajaj Auto's newly developed DTSi
technology[6], which increased the power rating of both versions by 1 bhp
(0.75 kW) each and also increased fuel economy[7]. This model also sported
a new headlamp assembly, 1,320 mm wheelbase[8], and standard twin-tone
horn and trip meter.
[edit]
2005

In 2005, Bajaj launched another upgrade of the Pulsar. The bike was offered
with 17-inch (430 mm) alloy wheels as standard option, and the stance was
also lowered by about 12 mm. It was the first time any bike maker in India
had offered 17-inch (430 mm) profile wheels at the rear. The fuel tank now
had a capacity of only 15 litres[9]. The power output was now further
increased to 13.5 bhp (10.1 kW) @ 8500 rpm for the 150 while it increased
to 16.5 bhp (12.3 kW) @ 8500 rpm for the 180[10]. The rear shock
absorbers were now gas-filled Nitrox absorbers.
[edit]
2006
Bajaj introduced another version of Pulsar. New features included: pilot
lamps separated from the main headlamp, turn indicators with clear lenses
and amber bulb, self-cancelling turn indicator switch, flush LCD screen with
digital read-out of key vehicle data, non-contact speed sensor, non-contact
backlit switches, twin-stripe LED tail-light assembly and side panels altered
for a sharp, tapering-towards-the-rear look. The engine had increased torque
availability, reduced vibration and improved gear shift feel. They also
introduced the 1 down 4 up variant of the gear box for the first time on sub
150 cc variants.[11]
[edit]
2007
Main article: Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi

In July 2007, Bajaj began selling the Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi and Pulsar
200 DTS-i, featuring fuel injection and oil cooled engines, a digital dash,
and modern styling. This bike has some features which are totally new to the
Indian market, like the fuel injection itself, rear disc brake and clip-on
handlebars (the first two only available in the 220 model).
[edit]
2009

Bajaj released the UG IV (fourth upgrade) versions of the Pulsar 150 and
Pulsar 180 in April 2009. The upgrades for the Pulsar 150 included an all-
black theme, tank scoops similar to those on the Pulsar 200, a 3D Pulsar
logo, and a changed electrical system. The Pulsar 180 received upgrades like
wider tyres, split seat, tank scoops, clip-on handlebars, 3D Pulsar logo,
swing arm suspension borrowed from Pulsar 200, and thicker forks. The
power was increased to 17 PS.[12]

Bajaj launched a carbureted version of Pulsar 220 on June 2009, tagging it

as "the fastest bike in India".[13] It also discontinued the production of
Pulsar 200 on July 2009.
[edit]
Technology
[edit]
DTSi

DTSi stands for Digital Twin Spark Ignition, a Bajaj Auto trademark. Bajaj
Auto holds an Indian patent for the DTSi technology. The Alfa Romeo
Twin-Spark engines, the BMW F650 Funduro which was sold in India from
1995 to 1997 also had a twin-spark plug technology, and the Rotax
motorcycle engines,more recently Honda's iDSI Vehicle engines use a
similar arrangement of two spark-plugs. However very few small capacity
engines did eventually implement such a scheme in their production
prototypes.
[edit]
Patent infringement allegations

In September 2007, Bajaj Auto filed a claim accusing that the development
of TVS Flame was in violation of their patent for DTS-I.[14] TVS Motors
countered by threatening to sue Bajaj Auto for libel.[15][16] On February
2008, the Madras High Court in Chennai restrained TVS from launching it
with the twin spark plug technology.[17] TVS appealed against this
decision, claiming that crucial evidence was not taken into account [18] and
in March 2008, launched the Flame with a modified engine containing one
spark plug.[19]The DTSi idea is a simple one to understand - it involved
usage of two spark plugs (instead of one) per engine cylinder.
[edit]
ExhausTEC

ExhausTEC stands for Exhaust Torque Expansion Chamber, a technology

patented by Bajaj [20]. The technology involves use of a small chamber
connected to the exhaust pipe of the engine to modify the back-pressure and
the swirl characteristics, with an aim to improve the low-end performance of
the bikes. The ExhausTEC technology is claimed to be highly effective in
improving the low- and mid-range torque.[21]
[edit]
Awards

The different variants of Pulsar have won the following awards.[22]

[edit]
2008
Bike India awards—Bike of the year (up to 250 cc)[23]
Indian Motorcycle of the Year[24]
[edit]
2007
CNBC-TV18 Autocar Auto Awards—Bike of the Year
[edit]
2004
ICICI Bank OVERDRIVE Awards—Bike of the Year
[edit]
2003
BBC World Wheels Award—Viewers' Choice Two Wheeler of Year
BBC World Wheels Award—Best Two Wheeler between Rs 55,000 to Rs
70,000
BBC World Wheels Award—Best Two Wheeler between Rs 45,000 to Rs
50,000
NFO Automotive—Motorcycle Total Customer Satisfaction Study
ICICI Bank OVERDRIVE Awards—Bike of the Year
[edit]
2002
OVERDRIVE Awards—Most Exciting Bike of the Year

Automobile
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Car" and "Cars" redirect here. For other uses, see Car (disambiguation).

Karl Benz's "Velo" model (1894) - entered into an early automobile race

Passenger cars in 2000

World map of passenger cars per 1000 people.

An automobile, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for

transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor. Most
definitions of the term specify that automobiles are designed to run primarily
on roads, to have seating for one to eight people, to typically have four
wheels, and to be constructed principally for the transport of people rather
than goods.[1] However, the term automobile is far from precise, because
there are many types of vehicles that do similar tasks.

As of 2002, there were 590 million passenger cars worldwide (roughly one
car per eleven people).[2] Around the world, there were about 806 million
cars and light trucks on the road in 2007; they burn over 260 billion gallons
of gasoline and diesel fuel yearly. The numbers are increasing rapidly,
especially in China and India.[3]

Etymology
The word automobile comes, via the French automobile, from the Ancient
Greek word αὐτός (autós, "self") and the Latin mobilis ("movable");
meaning a vehicle that moves itself, rather than being pulled or pushed by a
separate animal or another vehicle. The alternative name car is believed to
originate from the Latin word carrus or carrum ("wheeled vehicle"), or the
Middle English word carre ("cart") (from Old North French), or karros (a
Gallic wagon).[4][5]
History
Main article: History of the automobile

Ferdinand Verbiest, a member of a Jesuit mission in China, built the first

steam-powered vehicle around 1672 which was of small scale and designed
as a toy for the Chinese Emperor, that was unable to carry a driver or a
passenger, but quite possibly, was the first working steam-powered vehicle
('auto-mobile').[6][7]

Although Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot is often credited with building the first

self-propelled mechanical vehicle or automobile in about 1769, by adapting
an existing horse-drawn vehicle, this claim is disputed by some[citation
needed], who doubt Cugnot's three-wheeler ever ran or was stable. What is
not in doubt is that Richard Trevithick built and demonstrated his Puffing
Devil road locomotive in 1801, believed by many to be the first
demonstration of a steam-powered road vehicle, although it was unable to
maintain sufficient steam pressure for long periods, and would have been of
little practical use.

In Russia, in the 1780s, Ivan Kulibin developed a human-pedalled, three-

wheeled carriage with modern features such as a flywheel, brake, gear box,
and bearings; however, it was not developed further.[8]

François Isaac de Rivaz, a Swiss inventor, designed the first internal

combustion engine, in 1806, which was fueled by a mixture of hydrogen and
oxygen and used it to develop the world's first vehicle, albeit rudimentary, to
be powered by such an engine. The design was not very successful, as was
the case with others, such as Samuel Brown, Samuel Morey, and Etienne
Lenoir with his hippomobile, who each produced vehicles (usually adapted
carriages or carts) powered by clumsy internal combustion engines.[9]
In November 1881, French inventor Gustave Trouvé demonstrated a
working three-wheeled automobile that was powered by electricity. This was
at the International Exhibition of Electricity in Paris.[10]

Although several other German engineers (including Gottlieb Daimler,

Wilhelm Maybach, and Siegfried Marcus) were working on the problem at
about the same time, Karl Benz generally is acknowledged as the inventor of
the modern automobile.[9]

An automobile powered by his own four-stroke cycle gasoline engine was

built in Mannheim, Germany by Karl Benz in 1885, and granted a patent in
January of the following year under the auspices of his major company,
Benz & Cie., which was founded in 1883. It was an integral design, without
the adaptation of other existing components, and included several new
technological elements to create a new concept. This is what made it worthy
of a patent. He began to sell his production vehicles in 1888.

Karl Benz

A photograph of the original Benz Patent Motorwagen, first built in 1885

and awarded the patent for the concept

In 1879, Benz was granted a patent for his first engine, which had been
designed in 1878. Many of his other inventions made the use of the internal
combustion engine feasible for powering a vehicle.

His first Motorwagen was built in 1885, and he was awarded the patent for
its invention as of his application on January 29, 1886. Benz began
promotion of the vehicle on July 3, 1886, and about 25 Benz vehicles were
sold between 1888 and 1893, when his first four-wheeler was introduced
along with a model intended for affordability. They also were powered with
four-stroke engines of his own design. Emile Roger of France, already
producing Benz engines under license, now added the Benz automobile to
his line of products. Because France was more open to the early
automobiles, initially more were built and sold in France through Roger than
Benz sold in Germany.

In 1896, Benz designed and patented the first internal-combustion flat

engine, called a boxermotor in German. During the last years of the
nineteenth century, Benz was the largest automobile company in the world
with 572 units produced in 1899 and, because of its size, Benz & Cie.,
became a joint-stock company.

Daimler and Maybach founded Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (Daimler

Motor Company, DMG) in Cannstatt in 1890, and under the brand name,
Daimler, sold their first automobile in 1892, which was a horse-drawn
stagecoach built by another manufacturer, that they retrofitted with an
engine of their design. By 1895 about 30 vehicles had been built by Daimler
and Maybach, either at the Daimler works or in the Hotel Hermann, where
they set up shop after disputes with their backers. Benz and the Maybach
and the Daimler team seem to have been unaware of each other's early work.
They never worked together because, by the time of the merger of the two
companies, Daimler and Maybach were no longer part of DMG.

Daimler died in 1900 and later that year, Maybach designed an engine
named Daimler-Mercedes, that was placed in a specially-ordered model built
to specifications set by Emil Jellinek. This was a production of a small
number of vehicles for Jellinek to race and market in his country. Two years
later, in 1902, a new model DMG automobile was produced and the model
was named Mercedes after the Maybach engine which generated 35 hp.
Maybach quit DMG shortly thereafter and opened a business of his own.
Rights to the Daimler brand name were sold to other manufacturers.

Karl Benz proposed co-operation between DMG and Benz & Cie. when
economic conditions began to deteriorate in Germany following the First
World War, but the directors of DMG refused to consider it initially.
Negotiations between the two companies resumed several years later when
these conditions worsened and, in 1924 they signed an Agreement of Mutual
Interest, valid until the year 2000. Both enterprises standardized design,
production, purchasing, and sales and they advertised or marketed their
automobile models jointly, although keeping their respective brands.

On June 28, 1926, Benz & Cie. and DMG finally merged as the Daimler-
Benz company, baptizing all of its automobiles Mercedes Benz, as a brand
honoring the most important model of the DMG automobiles, the Maybach
design later referred to as the 1902 Mercedes-35 hp, along with the Benz
name. Karl Benz remained a member of the board of directors of Daimler-
Benz until his death in 1929, and at times, his two sons participated in the
management of the company as well.
In 1890, Emile Levassor and Armand Peugeot of France began producing
vehicles with Daimler engines, and so laid the foundation of the automobile
industry in France.

The first design for an American automobile with a gasoline internal

combustion engine was drawn in 1877 by George Selden of Rochester, New
York, who applied for a patent for an automobile in 1879, but the patent
application expired because the vehicle was never built. After a delay of
sixteen years and a series of attachments to his application, on November 5,
1895, Selden was granted a United States patent (U.S. Patent 549,160) for a
two-stroke automobile engine, which hindered, more than encouraged,
development of automobiles in the United States. His patent was challenged
by Henry Ford and others, and overturned in 1911.

In Britain, there had been several attempts to build steam cars with varying
degrees of success, with Thomas Rickett even attempting a production run in
1860.[11] Santler from Malvern is recognized by the Veteran Car Club of
Great Britain as having made the first petrol-powered car in the country in
1894[12] followed by Frederick William Lanchester in 1895, but these were
both one-offs.[12] The first production vehicles in Great Britain came from
the Daimler Motor Company, a company founded by Harry J. Lawson in
1896, after purchasing the right to use the name of the engines. Lawson's
company made its first automobiles in 1897, and they bore the name
Daimler.[12]

In 1892, German engineer Rudolf Diesel was granted a patent for a "New
Rational Combustion Engine". In 1897, he built the first Diesel Engine.[9]
Steam-, electric-, and gasoline-powered vehicles competed for decades, with
gasoline internal combustion engines achieving dominance in the 1910s.

Although various pistonless rotary engine designs have attempted to

compete with the conventional piston and crankshaft design, only Mazda's
version of the Wankel engine has had more than very limited success.
Production

Ransom E. Olds.

The large-scale, production-line manufacturing of affordable automobiles

was debuted by Ransom Olds at his Oldsmobile factory in 1902. This
concept was greatly expanded by Henry Ford, beginning in 1914.
As a result, Ford's cars came off the line in fifteen minute intervals, much
faster than previous methods, increasing productivity eight fold (requiring
12.5 man-hours before, 1 hour 33 minutes after), while using less manpower.
[13] It was so successful, paint became a bottleneck. Only Japan black
would dry fast enough, forcing the company to drop the variety of colors
available before 1914, until fast-drying Duco lacquer was developed in
1926. This is the source of Ford's apocryphal remark, "any color as long as
it's black".[13] In 1914, an assembly line worker could buy a Model T with
four months' pay.[13]

Portrait of Henry Ford (ca. 1919)

Ford's complex safety procedures—especially assigning each worker to a

specific location instead of allowing them to roam about—dramatically
reduced the rate of injury. The combination of high wages and high
efficiency is called "Fordism," and was copied by most major industries. The
efficiency gains from the assembly line also coincided with the economic
rise of the United States. The assembly line forced workers to work at a
certain pace with very repetitive motions which led to more output per
worker while other countries were using less productive methods.

In the automotive industry, its success was dominating, and quickly spread
worldwide seeing the founding of Ford France and Ford Britain in 1911,
Ford Denmark 1923, Ford Germany 1925; in 1921, Citroen was the first
native European manufacturer to adopt the production method. Soon,
companies had to have assembly lines, or risk going broke; by 1930, 250
companies which did not, had disappeared.[13]

Development of automotive technology was rapid, due in part to the

hundreds of small manufacturers competing to gain the world's attention.
Key developments 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.

Ford Model T, 1927, regarded as the first affordable American automobile

Since the 1920s, nearly all cars have been mass-produced to meet market
needs, so marketing plans often have heavily influenced automobile design.
It was Alfred P. Sloan who established the idea of different makes of cars
produced by one company, so buyers could "move up" as their fortunes
improved.

Reflecting the rapid pace of change, makes shared parts with one another so
larger production volume resulted in lower costs for each price range. For
example, in the 1930s, LaSalles, sold by Cadillac, used cheaper mechanical
parts made by Oldsmobile; in the 1950s, Chevrolet shared hood, doors, roof,
and windows with Pontiac; by the 1990s, corporate drivetrains and shared
platforms (with interchangeable brakes, suspension, and other parts) were
common. Even so, only major makers could afford high costs, and even
companies with decades of production, such as Apperson, Cole, Dorris,
Haynes, or Premier, could not manage: of some two hundred American car
makers in existence in 1920, only 43 survived in 1930, and with the Great
Depression, by 1940, only 17 of those were left.[13]

In Europe much the same would happen. Morris set up its production line at
Cowley in 1924, and soon outsold Ford, while beginning in 1923 to follow
Ford's practise of vertical integration, buying Hotchkiss (engines), Wrigley
(gearboxes), and Osberton (radiators), for instance, as well as competitors,
such as Wolseley: in 1925, Morris had 41% of total British car production.
Most British small-car assemblers, from Abbey to Xtra had gone under.
Citroen did the same in France, coming to cars in 1919; between them and
other cheap cars in reply such as Renault's 10CV and Peugeot's 5CV, they
produced 550,000 cars in 1925, and Mors, Hurtu, and others could not
compete.[13] Germany's first mass-manufactured car, the Opel 4PS
Laubfrosch (Tree Frog), came off the line at Russelsheim in 1924, soon
making Opel the top car builder in Germany, with 37.5% of the market.[13]
See also: Automotive industry
Fuel and propulsion technologies

A radio taxi in New Delhi. A court order requires all commercial vehicles
including trucks, buses and taxis in India to run on Compressed Natural Gas
See also: Alternative fuel vehicle

Most automobiles in use today are propelled by gasoline (also known as

petrol) or diesel internal combustion engines, which are known to cause air
pollution and are also blamed for contributing to climate change and global
warming.[14] Increasing costs of oil-based fuels, tightening environmental
laws and restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions are propelling work on
alternative power systems for automobiles. Efforts to improve or replace
existing technologies include the development of hybrid vehicles, and
electric and hydrogen vehicles which do not release pollution into the air.
Petroleum fuels
Main article: Petroleum fuel engine
Diesel
Main article: Diesel engine

Diesel-engined cars have long been popular in Europe with the first models
being introduced as early as 1922 [15] by Peugeot and the first production
car, Mercedes-Benz 260 D in 1936 by Mercedes-Benz. The main benefit of
diesel engines is a 50% fuel burn efficiency compared with 27%[16] in the
best gasoline engines. A down-side of the Diesel engine is that better filters
are required to reduce the presence in the exhaust gases of fine soot
particulates called diesel particulate matter. Manufacturers are now starting
to fit[when?] diesel particulate filters to remove the soot. Many diesel-
powered cars can run with little or no modifications on 100% biodiesel and
combinations of other organic oils.
Gasoline
Main article: Petrol engine

2007 Mark II (BMW) Mini Cooper

Gasoline engines have the advantage over diesel in being lighter and able to
work at higher rotational speeds and they are the usual choice for fitting in
high-performance sports cars. Continuous development of gasoline engines
for over a hundred years has produced improvements in efficiency and
reduced pollution. The carburetor was used on nearly all road car engines
until the 1980s but it was long realised better control of the fuel/air mixture
could be achieved with fuel injection. Indirect fuel injection was first used in
aircraft engines from 1909, in racing car engines from the 1930s, and road
cars from the late 1950s.[16] Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) is now starting
to appear in production vehicles such as the 2007 (Mark II) BMW Mini.
Exhaust gases are also cleaned up by fitting a catalytic converter into the
exhaust system. Clean air legislation in many of the car industries most
important markets has made both catalysts and fuel injection virtually
universal fittings. Most modern gasoline engines also are capable of running
with up to 15% ethanol mixed into the gasoline - older vehicles may have
seals and hoses that can be harmed by ethanol. With a small amount of
redesign, gasoline-powered vehicles can run on ethanol concentrations as
high as 85%. 100% ethanol is used in some parts of the world (such as
Brazil), but vehicles must be started on pure gasoline and switched over to
ethanol once the engine is running. Most gasoline engined cars can also run
on LPG with the addition of an LPG tank for fuel storage and carburettor
modifications to add an LPG mixer. LPG produces fewer toxic emissions
and is a popular fuel for fork-lift trucks that have to operate inside buildings.

The hydrogen powered FCHV (Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle) was developed by
Toyota in 2005
Biofuels
Main articles: Biofuel, Ethanol fuel, and biogasoline

Ethanol, other alcohol fuels (biobutanol) and biogasoline have widespread

use an automotive fuel. Most alcohols have less energy per liter than
gasoline and are usually blended with gasoline. Alcohols are used for a
variety of reasons - to increase octane, to improve emissions, and as an
alternative to petroleum based fuel, since they can be made from agricultural
crops. Brazil's ethanol program provides about 20% of the nation's
automotive fuel needs, as a result of the mandatory use of E25 blend of
gasoline throughout the country, 3 million cars that operate on pure ethanol,
and 6 million dual or flexible-fuel vehicles sold since 2003.[17] that run on
any mix of ethanol and gasoline. The commercial success of "flex" vehicles,
as they are popularly known, have allowed sugarcane based ethanol fuel to
achieve a 50% market share of the gasoline market by April 2008.[18][19]
[20]
Electric
Main articles: Electric car, Hybrid vehicle, and Plug-in hybrid

The Henney Kilowatt, the first modern (transistor-controlled) electric car.

2007 Tesla electric powered Roadster

Tata/MDI OneCAT Air Car

A CNG powered high-floor Neoplan AN440A, run on Compressed Natural

Gas

The first electric cars were built around 1832, well before internal
combustion powered cars appeared.[21] For a period of time electrics were
considered superior due to the silent nature of electric motors compared to
the very loud noise of the gasoline engine. This advantage was removed with
Hiram Percy Maxim's invention of the muffler in 1897. Thereafter internal
combustion powered cars had two critical advantages: 1) long range and 2)
high specific energy (far lower weight of petrol fuel versus weight of
batteries). The building of battery electric vehicles that could rival internal
combustion models had to wait for the introduction of modern
semiconductor controls and improved batteries. Because they can deliver a
high torque at low revolutions electric cars do not require such a complex
drive train and transmission as internal combustion powered cars. Some
post-2000 electric car designs such as the Venturi Fétish are able to
accelerate from 0-60 mph (96 km/h) in 4.0 seconds with a top speed around
130 mph (210 km/h). Others have a range of 250 miles (400 km) on the
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) highway cycle
requiring 3-1/2 hours to completely charge.[22] Equivalent fuel efficiency to
internal combustion is not well defined but some press reports give it at
around 135 miles per US gallon (1.74 L/100 km; 162 mpg-imp).
Steam
Main article: steam car

Steam power, usually using an oil- or gas-heated boiler, was also in use until
the 1930s but had the major disadvantage of being unable to power the car
until boiler pressure was available (although the newer models could achieve
this in well under a minute). It has the advantage of being able to produce
very low emissions as the combustion process can be carefully controlled.
Its disadvantages include poor heat efficiency and extensive requirements
for electric auxiliaries.[23].
Air
Main article: Compressed-air car

A compressed air car is an alternative fuel car that uses a motor powered by
compressed air. The car can be powered solely by air, or by air combined (as
in a hybrid electric vehicle) with gasoline/diesel/ethanol or electric plant and
regenerative braking. Instead of mixing fuel with air and burning it to drive
pistons with hot expanding gases; compressed air cars use the expansion of
compressed air to drive their pistons. Several prototypes are available
already and scheduled for worldwide sale by the end of 2008, though this
has not happened as of January 2009. Companies releasing this type of car
include Tata Motors and Motor Development International (MDI).
Gas turbine
In the 1950s there was a brief interest in using gas turbine engines and
several makers including Rover and Chrysler produced prototypes. In spite
of the power units being very compact, high fuel consumption, severe delay
in throttle response, and lack of engine braking meant no cars reached
production.
Rotary (Wankel) engines

Rotary Wankel engines were introduced into road cars by NSU with the Ro
80 and later were seen in the Citroën GS Birotor and several Mazda models.
In spite of their impressive smoothness, poor reliability and fuel economy
has largely lead to their decline. Mazda, beginning with the R100 then RX-
2, has continued research on these engines, overcoming most of the earlier
problems with the RX-7 and RX-8.
Rocket and jet cars

A rocket car holds the record in drag racing. However, the fastest of those
cars are used to set the Land Speed Record, and are propelled by propulsive
jets emitted from rocket, turbojet, or more recently and most successfully
turbofan engines. The ThrustSSC car using two Rolls-Royce Spey turbofans
with reheat was able to exceed the speed of sound at ground level in 1997.
Data transmission

Automobiles use CAM, MOSH (optic fiber), multiplexing, bluetooth and

WiFi between others.
Safety
Main articles: Car safety and Automobile accident

Result of a serious automobile accident.

There are three main statistics to which automobile safety can be compared:
[24]
Deaths per

billion journeys
Bus: 4.3
Rail: 20
Van: 20
Car: 40
Foot: 40
Water: 90
Air: 117
Bicycle: 170
Motorcycle: 1640

Deaths per

billion hours
Bus: 11.1
Rail: 30
Air: 30.8
Water: 50
Van: 60
Car: 130
Foot: 220
Bicycle: 550
Motorcycle: 4840
Deaths per

billion kilometres
Air: 0.05
Bus: 0.4
Rail: 0.6
Van: 1.2
Water: 2.6
Car: 3.1
Bicycle: 44.6
Foot: 54.2
Motorcycle: 108.9

While road traffic injuries represent the leading cause in worldwide injury-
related deaths,[25] their popularity undermines this statistic.

Mary Ward became one of the first documented automobile fatalities in

1869 in Parsonstown, Ireland[26] and Henry Bliss one of the United States'
first pedestrian automobile casualties in 1899 in New York.[27] There are
now standard tests for safety in new automobiles, like the EuroNCAP and
the US NCAP tests,[28] as well as insurance-backed IIHS tests.[29]
Costs and benefits The neutrality of this section is disputed. Please see the
discussion on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until the
dispute is resolved. (December 2007)

Further information: Automotive industry

Main article: Economics of automobile usage

The costs of automobile usage, which may include the cost of: acquiring the
vehicle, repairs, maintenance, fuel, depreciation, parking fees, tire
replacement, taxes and insurance,[30] are weighed against the cost of the
alternatives, and the value of the benefits - perceived and real - of vehicle
usage. The benefits may include on-demand transportation, mobility,
independence and convenience.[7]
Main article: Effects of the automobile on societies

Similarly the costs to society of encompassing automobile use, which may

include those of: maintaining roads, land use, pollution, public health, health
care, and of disposing of the vehicle at the end of its life, can be balanced
against the value of the benefits to society that automobile use generates.
The societal benefits may include: economy benefits, such as job and wealth
creation, of automobile production and maintenance, transportation
provision, society wellbeing derived from leisure and travel opportunities,
and revenue generation from the tax opportunities. The ability for humans to
move flexibly from place to place has far reaching implications for the
nature of societies.[31]
Environmental impact The examples and perspective in this section may
not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article
and discuss the issue on the talk page.

Further information: Global warming

Transportation is a major contributor to air pollution in most industrialised

nations. According to the American Surface Transportation Policy Project
nearly half of all Americans are breathing unhealthy air. Their study showed
air quality in dozens of metropolitan areas has got worse over the last
decade.[32] In the United States the average passenger car emits 11,450 lbs
(5 tonnes) of carbon dioxide, along with smaller amounts of carbon
monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen.[33]
Animals and plants are often negatively impacted by automobiles via habitat
destruction and pollution. Over the lifetime of the average automobile the
"loss of habitat potential" may be over 50,000 square meters (538,195 square
feet) based on Primary production correlations.[34]

Fuel taxes may act as an incentive for the production of more efficient,
hence less polluting, car designs (e.g. hybrid vehicles) and the development
of alternative fuels. High fuel taxes may provide a strong incentive for
consumers to purchase lighter, smaller, more fuel-efficient cars, or to not
drive. On average, today's automobiles are about 75 percent recyclable, and
using recycled steel helps reduce energy use and pollution.[35] In the United
States Congress, federally mandated fuel efficiency standards have been
debated regularly, passenger car standards have not risen above the 27.5
miles per US gallon (8.55 L/100 km; 33.0 mpg-imp) standard set in 1985.
Light truck standards have changed more frequently, and were set at 22.2
miles per US gallon (10.6 L/100 km; 26.7 mpg-imp) in 2007.[36]
Alternative fuel vehicles are another option that is less polluting than
conventional petroleum powered vehicles.
Other negative effects

Residents of low-density, residential-only sprawling communities are also

more likely to die in car collisions[original research?] which kill 1.2 million
people worldwide each year, and injure about forty times this number.[25]
Sprawl is more broadly a factor in inactivity and obesity, which in turn can
lead to increased risk of a variety of diseases.[37]
Driverless cars
Main article: Driverless car

Fully autonomous vehicles, also known as robotic cars, or driverless cars,

already exist in prototype, and are expected to be commercially available
around 2020. According to urban designer and futurist Michael E. Arth,
driverless electric vehicles—in conjunction with the increased use of virtual
reality for work, travel, and pleasure—could reduce the world's 800,000,000
vehicles to a fraction of that number within a few decades.[38] This would
be possible if almost all private cars requiring drivers, which are not in use
and parked 90% of the time, would be traded for public self-driving taxis
that would be in near constant use. This would also allow for getting the
appropriate vehicle for the particular need—a bus could come for a group of
people, a limousine could come for a special night out, and a Segway could
come for a short trip down the street for one person. Children could be
chauffeured in supervised safety, DUIs would no longer exist, and 41,000
lives could be saved each year in the U.S. alone.[39][40]
Future car technologies
Main article: Future car technologies

Automobile propulsion technology under development include

gasoline/electric and plug-in hybrids, battery electric vehicles, hydrogen
cars, biofuels, and various alternative fuels.

Research into future alternative forms of power include the development of

fuel cells, Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI), stirling
engines[41], and even using the stored energy of compressed air or liquid
nitrogen.

New materials which may replace steel car bodies include duraluminum,
fiberglass, carbon fiber, and carbon nanotubes.

Telematics technology is allowing more and more people to share cars, on a

pay-as-you-go basis, through such schemes as City Car Club in the UK,
Mobility in mainland Europe, and Zipcar in the US.
Alternatives to the automobile
Main article: Alternatives to the automobile

Established alternatives for some aspects of automobile use include public

transit (buses, trolleybuses, trains, subways, monorails, tramways), cycling,
walking, rollerblading, skateboarding, horseback riding and using a
velomobile. Car-share arrangements and carpooling are also increasingly
popular–the U.S. market leader in car-sharing has experienced double-digit
growth in revenue and membership growth between 2006 and 2007, offering
a service that enables urban residents to "share" a vehicle rather than own a
car in already congested neighborhoods.[42] Bike-share systems have been
tried in some European cities, including Copenhagen and Amsterdam.
Similar programs have been experimented with in a number of U.S. Cities.
[43] Additional individual modes of transport, such as personal rapid transit
could serve as an alternative to automobiles if they prove to be socially
accepted.[44]