An automobile is a vehicle that is capable of propelling itself. Since 17th century, several attempts have been made to design and construct a practically operative automobile.
Today, automobiles play crucial role in the social, economic and industrial growth of any country.
After the designing of Internal Combustion Engines, the Automobile industries has seen a tremendous growth.

Classification of Automobiles:

Automobiles can be classified into several types based on many criteria. A brief classification of automobiles is listed below:

1. Based on Purpose :

§  Passenger vehicles: These vehicles carry passengers. e.g: Buses, Cars, passenger trains.

§  Goods vehicles: These vehicles carry goods from one place to another place. e.g: Goods lorry, Goods carrier.

§  Special Purpose: These vehicles include Ambulance, Fire engines, Army Vehicles.

2. Based on Load Capacity:

§  Light duty vehicle: Small motor vehicles. eg: Car, jeep, Scooter, motor cycle

§  Heavy duty vehicle:  large and bulky motor vehicles. e.g: Bus, Truck, Tractor

3. Based on fuel used:

§  Petrol engine vehicles : Automobiles powered by petrol engine. e.g: scooters, cars, motorcycles.

§  Diesel engine vehicles : Automobiles powered by diesel engine. e.g: Trucks, Buses, Tractors.

§  Gas vehicles : Vehicles that use gas turbine as power source. e.g: Turbine powered cars.

§  Electric vehicles : Automobiles that use electricity as a power source. e.g: Electric cars, electric buses.

§  Steam Engine vehicles : Automobiles powered by steam engine. e.g: Steamboat, steam locomotive, steam wagon.

4. Based on Drive of the vehicles:

§  Left Hand drive : Steering wheel fitted on left hand side.

§  Right Hand drive : Steering wheel fitted on right hand side.

§  Fluid drive : Vehicles employing torque converter, fluid fly wheel or hydramatic transmission.

5. Based on number of wheels and axles:

§  Two wheeler : motor cycles, scooters

§  Three wheeler : Tempo, auto-rickshaws

§  Four wheeler : car, Jeep, Bus, truck

§  Six wheeler : Buses and trucks have six tires out of which four are carried on the rear wheels for additional reaction.

§  Six axle wheeler : Dodge(10 tire) vehicle

6. Based on type of transmission:

§  Automatic transmission vehicles: Automobiles that are capable of changing gear ratios automatically as they move. e.g: Automatic Transmission Cars.

§  Manual transmission vehicles: Automobiles whose gear ratios have to be changed manually.

§  Semi-automatic transmission vehicles: Vehicles that facilitate manual gear changing with clutch pedal.

7. Based on Suspension system used:

§  Convectional – Leaf Spring

§  Independent – Coil spring, Torsion bar, Pneumatic.