The automobile has had an incredible impact on the way the world works. From the early 1800s, when the first combustion-engine powered carriages first appeared, the invention of the automobile has enabled increased transport mobility, the growth of the global economy, and even helped shape the very landscape of our cities and towns. The impact of the automobile has been far-reaching, helping to revolutionize the way people travel. Cars helped enable greater freedom of local and regional transportation, allowing people to explore beyond their local neighbourhoods and further away than was ever before possible. This newfound freedom became even more accessible when, in the late 19th century, cars began to be mass-produced and owning a car became an attainable reality for many. The automobile has changed the design of cities worldwide, with the proliferation of cars seeing an increase in the need for larger roads, highways and parking lots. This, in turn, has seen certain services move from the city centre out to the suburbs, decentralising access to certain goods and services. Despite some of the problems associated with automobiles, such as air pollution, it is undeniable that the invention and evolution of the car has had immense implications for the way the world works.