What are positive and negative effects of the automobile?

Answer 1

Cars make it possible for individual people to travel around with a great deal of freedom. This, in turn, makes it possible for people to live in places where they would not have lived in earlier times, and to work and shop at a distance from their homes.

The cost of automobiles is enormous. Part is in terms of the capital expense, which includes the cars themselves, upkeep, insurance, road infrastructure, costs of fuel and fuel infrastructure, and so on. Part is in terms of the social results, with hundreds of thousands of people dying each year (worldwide) and millions being injured. There are societal changes, such as business leaving downtown areas to go to malls. And there are pressures put on families and other institutions. Environmentally, the impact of automobiles is profound as huge amounts of pollution are released, and enormous amounts of land covered with paving, among other problems.

There is a link to an article on the subject below.