The first practical AUTOMOBILES were developed in the late 19th Century, although experiments with steam-powered wagons had been carried out over one hundred years earlier. The critical invention that made the AUTOMOBILE a success was the internal COMBUSTION engine. This relatively small but powerful engine could be mounted within the frame of the "horseless carriage" and drive the wheels. The AUTOMOBILE had a tremendous impact on the economy and lifestyles of the rich Western nations, and it also revolutionized warfare. Armed and armored AUTOMOBILES, known as tanks, became a dominant weapon on the battlefield.
