In this blog post, we will examine how cars, which have gone beyond being mere means of transportation to transform industry and culture, have become the engine of human civilization.
Technology changes society, and the culture and daily lives of people within that changed society gradually evolve. The advancement of technology does not merely make human life more convenient; it fundamentally alters the structure and patterns of society, giving rise to new cultures and lifestyles. We can witness this transformation through how deeply smartphones, the internet, and various digital technologies have become ingrained in our daily lives. These changes have a significant impact on how humans communicate, work, and enjoy their leisure time. New technologies themselves can form industrial ecosystems, and the advantages they offer can lead to the creation of more efficient and innovative systems.
The advent of automobiles is a prime example of how technology has influenced human history. Automobiles went beyond being mere means of transportation to become part of the industrial revolution, presenting a new economic paradigm that promoted global social change. A car is the epitome of the machinery industry, consisting of an external body, internal engines, power transmission devices, and hundreds of large and small parts that make up these core components. Manufacturing a single car requires various materials such as steel, glass, rubber, and fiber, and the processes of processing and assembling these materials demand advanced technology and precision.
In this process, new technologies are continuously developed and applied, which have a ripple effect not only on the automobile industry but also on other industries. The automobile industry itself has great economic value, but the countless industries derived from it, such as transportation, petroleum refining, and maintenance, account for a significant portion of modern social development.
It has also made a considerable contribution to the quality of human life, and even today, smart cars, personal mobility devices, and driverless cars are considered to be the biggest growth drivers of the future.
The background to the emergence of automobiles lies in the simple human instinct to move from place to place. In order for humans to live, their basic needs must be met, and to do so, they require various goods. The problem lies in the spatial disparity between goods and humans. Therefore, whether humans move themselves or transport goods, spatial mobility is essential, and this innate need and desire drove the development of transportation means. People initially used primitive forms of transportation such as carts and wagons to address this need, which gradually evolved into mechanized forms. Following the three paths accessible to humans—air, water, and land—inventions such as airplanes, ships, trains, and automobiles were developed.
The automobile emerged as a means of transportation that could travel on land, the most accessible of the three paths, without using railways. The Automobile Transportation Vehicle Act defines an automobile as “a device manufactured for the purpose of moving on land by means of an engine,” while the KS Industrial Standards describe it as “a vehicle equipped with an engine and steering device, etc., capable of traveling on the ground using these devices.”
While the Road Vehicle Act emphasizes “movement on land,” industrial standards focus on mechanical components such as ‘engines’ and “steering mechanisms.” However, overall, a car can be defined as a vehicle that moves on land using mechanical energy from an engine and a steering mechanism to determine its direction. Accordingly, motorcycles are classified as automobiles because they have an engine and handlebars and travel on roads. Similarly, electric bikes and scooters, which have gained popularity recently, are also technically classified as automobiles since they are two-wheeled vehicles powered by electricity. Conversely, bicycles are not classified as automobiles because they lack an engine, and trains, although they have an engine and steering mechanism, are not classified as automobiles because they travel on railways rather than roads.
In addition to the engine and steering mechanism, there are many other components that make up an actual automobile. First, automobiles are broadly divided into the body and chassis. The body is the foundation of the automobile, supporting its movement and carrying passengers or cargo. An excellent body must be sturdy and flexible to maintain its shape while traveling on roads, strong enough to protect the driver in collisions, and lightweight to reduce fuel consumption and enhance stability. Vehicles can also be classified based on their bodies. The body forms the outer surface of the vehicle, and its design and functions vary depending on its shape. For example, a vehicle with two doors and a low roof is a coupe, while one with a roof extending horizontally to the trunk is a wagon. An SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) has a higher ground clearance and overall height than a standard car, and a truck has an open cargo bed without a roof. The body is the most recognizable part of a vehicle, providing the most information to the general public.
The remaining elements of a vehicle, excluding the body, are referred to as the chassis. The chassis consists of various mechanical devices related to the vehicle’s performance, functionality, and safety. The main components of the chassis include the engine, steering system, and power transmission system, suspension system, wheels and tires, and braking system, which were mentioned earlier in the definition of a vehicle. The power transmission system transmits the force generated by the engine to the wheels, the suspension system absorbs shocks to improve ride comfort, the wheels and tires absorb shocks between the vehicle and the ground, and the braking system controls the vehicle’s speed and brings it to a stop. Like the body, vehicles are also classified based on their chassis components. For example, vehicles are classified into gasoline-powered vehicles, diesel-powered vehicles, LPG-powered vehicles, LNG-powered vehicles, and electric vehicles based on the type of engine. Gasoline-powered vehicles use gasoline as fuel and employ a spark-ignition engine that ignites a mixture of air and fuel using an ignition system to cause an explosion. Since the explosion is triggered by the ignition system, it can occur at relatively low temperatures, resulting in high power output and low noise levels. Therefore, they offer a smooth ride and are widely used in luxury sedans. Diesel vehicles, which are the most commonly used vehicles alongside gasoline vehicles, use a compression ignition engine that compresses diesel fuel to cause self-ignition. While they produce more noise and have lower power output due to self-ignition, they offer the advantages of high torque and fuel efficiency, making them popular in SUVs and large vehicles. LPG and LNG are natural fuels with low environmental pollution, high efficiency, and high energy storage density. Since each engine has different characteristics and the types of vehicles that require those characteristics vary, engine classification is a very important factor in determining a vehicle’s characteristics. In addition to the engine, numerous devices each have their own roles, and their combined functions form the complex mechanical system known as a vehicle.
Automobiles are also classified based on their purpose in addition to their body and engine. Early automobiles were invented to fulfill the basic need for transportation, so they were primarily divided into passenger vehicles for transporting people and cargo vehicles for transporting goods. However, as society became more diversified and automobiles were required to perform various functions, special-purpose vehicles with specific functions emerged. Examples of special-purpose vehicles include fire trucks for extinguishing fires, tow trucks for towing vehicles, and construction vehicles such as excavators used on construction sites. There are also recreational vehicles designed for human entertainment. These vehicles are not intended for transportation or special functions but are simply created for people’s enjoyment. Such vehicles have evolved into various forms, such as ATVs (All-Terrain Vehicles) for off-road use and racing cars for competitions. Additionally, vehicles designed for leisure activities, such as campers, have gained popularity in recent years. The existence of automobiles with such diverse purposes highlights the significant role they play in our society.
Automobiles, as products of highly advanced civilization, were first created in Europe in the 17th century. In 1633, British scientist John Hough created a spring-powered automobile, and in 1680, Newton planned a self-propelled vehicle that used steam to create thrust. However, these vehicles cannot strictly be classified as automobiles that use a “prime mover” because they did not convert other energy sources into mechanical energy. The first automobile that truly met the definition was the steam-powered automobile built in 1770, which converted the linear motion of a piston using steam into rotational motion. Over time, these vehicles evolved, and by the early 19th century, steam-powered automobiles had become a common mode of public transportation. However, their large size, weight, and issues such as the delay in steam generation made them unsuitable for personal use and they did not have a significant impact on society as automobiles. The truly transformative social changes brought about by automobiles were driven by electric vehicles and internal combustion engines. Following the creation of the first electric vehicle by British inventor Davidson in 1873, technology for producing smaller, more efficient vehicles advanced, and Ford’s establishment of a mass production line for practical automobiles marked the beginning of significant societal transformation.
Small, efficient, and practical automobiles that could be owned by individuals were so revolutionary that they changed the paradigm. In the days when transportation was limited to “bridges,” the maximum distance one could travel in a day was only a few dozen kilometers. Even with horses or oxen, it was difficult to travel over 100 kilometers, and it was even more difficult for the common people to use such transportation. Therefore, the emergence of automobiles that the common people could own was a revolutionary change. The distance one could travel in a day increased to hundreds of kilometers, and places that once took hours to reach could now be reached in just a few minutes. More importantly, the majority of the population could now enjoy these benefits. As society underwent industrialization and scientific development, the organic connection and flow between various systems and individual systems became increasingly important. The role of automobiles is to serve as a means of transportation that connects these systems. They are like red blood cells flowing through the blood vessels of the human body. Automobiles, like red blood cells, supply the materials and manpower necessary to maintain the systems in every corner of the land through their small size and efficient functions. The emergence of automobiles is similar to the cure of anemia. Anemia is a condition where there is a deficiency of red blood cells or hemoglobin, which carries oxygen. People with anemia become at risk of oxygen deprivation even with minimal physical activity, making dynamic physical activities impossible. However, just as healthy people can move quickly and engage in physical activities, the invention of the automobile provided society with the driving force to become more dynamic and develop rapidly.
The current automotive industry has an enormous influence on both the industrial and economic aspects of society. With over 130 years of history, it is the oldest existing industry, the largest industry in the world, and continues to grow today. Peter Drucker, a renowned management expert, referred to the automotive industry as the “industry of industries” due to its objective scale and influence. As we have seen with the numerous devices and parts discussed earlier, the automotive industry requires immense technological capabilities and supporting industries. It encompasses both upstream industries, such as materials, research, and manufacturing equipment, and downstream industries, including sales, maintenance, distribution, and services. The automotive industry makes a significant contribution to the national economy and accounts for a large share of exports and imports.
As of 2023, the proportion of tax revenue related to automobiles in South Korea has slightly decreased due to the expansion of electric vehicles and eco-friendly vehicles and the reduction in fuel consumption, but it still plays an important role in the national budget. However, the negative impacts are also significant. A representative example is air pollution. Fine dust generated from diesel vehicle exhaust and increased fine dust from tire wear, along with carbon dioxide emissions, are causing enormous problems for the atmospheric environment.
To address exhaust gas issues, electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles have emerged as alternatives, leading to active development and advancement. However, a study by the National Institute of Environmental Research revealed that fine dust emissions from tire wear account for the second-largest cause of fine dust, highlighting the need for increased awareness regarding tires. Additionally, soil contamination resulting from road construction, which serves as the infrastructure for automobiles, is also a serious concern. The development of eco-friendly asphalt is also gaining attention as asphalt blocks soil from the outside environment, leading to soil degradation. Beyond environmental issues, social problems such as traffic accidents and insufficient parking spaces continue to arise. Recently, there has been a societal movement toward car-sharing (car-sharing services) to address the cost issues associated with car ownership and the inefficiency of car space utilization.
As the culmination of human technological progress and industrialization, and a means of livelihood for hundreds of millions of people, automobiles continue to evolve. Smart cars, which automatically and organically connect vehicles, drivers, surrounding environments, and transportation infrastructure to provide services, have been selected as one of South Korea’s 19 key future growth industries. Autonomous vehicles are already being researched and developed by major companies such as Google, Apple, Baidu, and Microsoft. Additionally, new personal mobility devices like electric bikes and electric wheels are opening a new chapter in the automotive industry. The automotive market is already growing annually, with related legislation being consistently proposed, laying the groundwork for its establishment in society. It is particularly gaining attention among younger generations in their 20s and 30s due to its low cost and efficiency. These new technologies are not merely advancing the automotive industry but are also driving changes in transportation infrastructure and urban planning, ultimately redefining human lifestyles. The automobile, often referred to as the “flower of mechanical and electrical engineering” and a driving force behind human progress, continues to lead the way toward the future through smart cars, autonomous vehicles, and new personal mobility solutions.
