The Second Automobile Revolution

The rapid takeoff of the continent-sized national economies and the increasing expense of extraction have led to strong tensions in petrol prices and a race towards alternative driving systems. This book analyses the emergence of a second automobile revolution through the trajectories of automobile firms since the nineties.

This book discusses cars of the future and the new socio-economic paradigm that they represent. It examines the electromobility revolution in the traditional automotive industry and brings together multidisciplinary expertise to provide insights into the shift towards electromobility. New vehicular technologies may develop in various directions, including the smart car, and this context raises two important questions: will car manufactures maintain control over the industry? And if so, will they be able to come up with sufficiently radical innovations to steer us into the electromobility of tomorrow? One thing is certain: the transition to electromobility will be a revolution. The book’s combined approach to understanding this complex reality enables readers to better visualize the possible future directions. It offers anyone interested in electromobility an excellent review of the subject and a useful roadmap to future developments.

This book provides a comprehensive analysis of long-term changes in the car market of an emerging economy, with a focus on its spatial and temporal dimensions. Poland, the case study in question, represents a unique "laboratory of automobile revolution" during the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The volume brings to the fore several key aspects of the car market, such as car ownership, markets for new cars, import of second-hand cars, car use, electromobility and environmental impact. Many of them are the subject of a global debate in the context of achieving sustainable development goals. Others, meanwhile, point to the unique nature of transformations related to the car market in Poland. Altogether, consideration of these aspects enriches the international literature with new results and findings that will broaden the field of discussion on the car market onto the emerging economies, especially those of Central and Eastern Europe. The book combines the results of quantitative and qualitative research. The former is based on a big data set (ca. 40 million vehicles) and the latter on an in-depth social survey (questionnaire interviews with more than 4,000 drivers). The discussion of the geography of automobile revolution is linked to other social, economic and spatial phenomena and processes (e.g. urban sprawl or rural marginalisation; consumer decisions and the evolution of quality of life; and the development of individual entrepreneurship or environmental protection), as well as to transport, tax and customs policies. The analysis of the dynamics of change pays particular attention to the role of "critical junctures", such as the collapse of the communist system, EU membership, the world financial crisis (2007–2009) and first period of COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2021). The book will be of interest to scholars, students and practitioners dealing with transport research, geography of transportation, spatial economy, urban and regional planning and sustainability studies, and for car hobbyists.

Keen to learn but short on time? Get to grips with the life of Henry Ford in next to no time with this concise guide. 50Minutes.com provides a clear and engaging analysis of the life and career of Henry Ford. Prior to the early 20th century, a car was a luxury that only a privileged few could afford, but this all changed thanks to Ford. His moving assembly line drastically reduced the cost of vehicles such as the Ford Model T, and he raised wages so that workers could buy the cars they built. His innovations changed the face of industry, and paved the way for mass production and consumption. In just 50 minutes you will: • Learn about Ford’s early life and career before founding the Ford Motor Company • Understand the success of his production line and the Ford Model T • Discover the impact of his innovations on American industry and society ABOUT 50MINUTES.COM | History & Culture 50MINUTES.COM will enable you to quickly understand the main events, people, conflicts and discoveries from world history that have shaped the world we live in today. Our publications present the key information on a wide variety of topics in a quick and accessible way that is guaranteed to save you time on your journey of discovery.

From the Model T to today's "lean manufacturing": the assembly line as crucial, yet controversial, agent of social and economic transformation. The mechanized assembly line was invented in 1913 and has been in continuous operation ever since. It is the most familiar form of mass production. Both praised as a boon to workers and condemned for exploiting them, it has been celebrated and satirized. (We can still picture Chaplin's little tramp trying to keep up with a factory conveyor belt.) In America's Assembly Line, David Nye examines the industrial innovation that made the United States productive and wealthy in the twentieth century. The assembly line—developed at the Ford Motor Company in 1913 for the mass production of Model Ts—first created and then served an expanding mass market. It also transformed industrial labor. By 1980, Japan had reinvented the assembly line as a system of “lean manufacturing”; American industry reluctantly adopted the new approach. Nye describes this evolution and the new global landscape of increasingly automated factories, with fewer industrial jobs in America and questionable working conditions in developing countries. A century after Ford's pioneering innovation, the assembly line continues to evolve toward more sustainable manufacturing.

Henry Ford introduced his Model T in 1908, and changed the face of America. The arrival of the "Tin Lizzie" on city streets also signaled the beginning of the end for a debate that had raged since the beginning of the motor car era. Namely, "What is the best propulsion system for autos: steam, electric, or gasoline?" Originally published in 1915 as an engineering text, The Gasoline Automobile is a classic book that provides rare insights into the early days of the automobile revolution. Within its pages you will find descriptive text supported by numerous rare photos and illustrations. Chapters include: general construction, engines, power plant groups and transmission systems, fuels and carburetor systems, lubrication and cooling, batteries and ignition, magnetos, starting and lighting systems, troubles and remedies, and operation and care. This softcover reprint of the first edition has been slightly reformatted for readability, but care has been taken to preserve the integrity of the text.