The Car

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The traditional car, powered by petrol or diesel and driven by humans, is on the verge of being replaced by electric and eventually self-driving vehicles. The era of the car, which began in the late 19th century, will have lasted around 150 years. More than any other technology—surpassing television, mobile phones, and even the internet—cars have profoundly reshaped our culture. While we often notice people using their phones, we overlook the extraordinary daily reality of countless vehicles on the roads. Cars have generated immense wealth and fostered dreams of freedom and mobility, altering our perception of distance and expanding our world. They have influenced cinema, music, and literature, and their demand for infrastructure—roads, bridges, factories, and global supply chains—has redefined our environment. Our desires and aspirations are intertwined with the existence of cars and their intricate meanings. This insightful exploration positions the car as a pivotal technology in our lives, cultures, politics, and history. It narrates the dual outcomes of this invention, highlighting how it has both liberated and constrained us, urging us to recognize the car's extravagance and genius as it approaches its final chapter as a defining machine of modernity.