Generally speaking, the history of world automobile development has gone through three stages.
The first stage: the rapid development stage of the world automobile industry
From the end of the 19th century to the 1930s, during this period, more than 20 automobile companies such as Mercedes-Benz, Ford, and General Motors were established one after another. , automobile production has entered standardized assembly line production, and production efficiency has been greatly improved. While automobile production has increased significantly, automobile technology has also made great progress. Transmissions, four-wheel braking, independent suspension technology, and compression shock absorbers were all invented during this period.
The second stage: the heyday of automobiles
After the end of World War II, European countries vigorously developed automobiles, and production increased from 800,000 vehicles before the war to 8 million vehicles, an increase of nearly 10 times . During this period, Japan also rose rapidly. By the 1980s, its output reached 11 million vehicles, surpassing the United States and ranking first in the world. Automobile technology during this period mainly developed towards high speed, convenience and comfort. Streamlined body, front wheel independent suspension, automatic transmission and all-wheel drive all appeared during this period.
The third stage: mergers and reorganizations of automobile companies, automobile output is relatively stable
After the 1970s, world automobile output stabilized at around 50 million units, and the automobile market in developed countries became saturated. , competition among various companies is fierce. Trade frictions between Europe, the United States, and Japan continue, but South Korea has emerged from fierce competition, successfully achieved technological leaps, and become an important base for world automobile production. The main development direction of automobile technology during this period was to improve automobile safety and reduce pollution. Due to the rapid development of electronic technology, automobile anti-lock braking systems, airbags, electronically controlled fuel injection and ignition, three-way catalysts, etc. appeared one after another during this period.
Future development trends of automobiles
With the increasingly serious problems of air pollution and oil shortage, the use of hybrid and electric vehicles to replace traditional gasoline and diesel vehicles has become a priority for people. problem. Governments around the world are promoting research into hybrid/battery electric vehicles. The U.S. Department of Energy predicts that by 2030, new energy vehicles will account for 28% of the entire light car and truck market, which will increase by 20% from 2005. Nowadays, the automobile industry is undergoing a revolution, and automobiles are rapidly developing in the direction of intelligence, comfort, energy saving, and environmental protection.