Over the past two hundred years, humans have made giant leaps in technology. According to the uspto.gov website, nearly 1.1 million utility patents in the United States were granted between 2000 and 2012 alone, and more than 2.2 million worldwide. The number of utility patent applications increases every year. With so many technologies being invented, some are bound to enjoy international recognition and influence. Although not a new technology, the automobile has had a tremendous impact on society. The automotive industry is responsible for increasing the efficiency of manufacturing processes, allowing family and friends to travel around the world, employing more than 700,000 workers in 2011 (selectusa.commerce.gov) and much sure creating arguments between Chevrolet, Ford and Dodge enthusiasts. Without the invention of the modern automobile, the world would be very different from what it is today. It took centuries and more than one brilliant mind to invent the automobile. According to the loc.gov website, the invention of the automobile dates back to the 15th century, when Leonardo da Vinci was experimenting with new means of transportation. However, the first modern automobile with a gasoline internal combustion engine can be traced to Karl Friedrich Benz in the late 19th century in Germany (loc.gov). Many other inventors in Europe, such as Nicolas Otto, Gottlieb Daimler, Carl Benz, and Emile Levassor, perfected the modern automobile (history.com). Although the modern automobile was “perfected” in Europe, its growth and adoption was accelerated in the United States. The success and impact of a technology is directly associated with how it is adopted. For example, comparing the middle of the document, it would be difficult to say that the modern automobile has not had a significant effect on our society, in more ways than one. The automobile has been shown to boost the economy by creating jobs and being partly responsible for the increase in the number of women in the workforce. The automobile revolutionized modern manufacturing by advancing techniques and popularizing the production of technologies for the masses rather than the few. The automobile has also sparked a global debate on issues related to air pollution and futuristic energy sources. For a technology to have a global impact on culture, history, politics, the environment and the economy, it must have two characteristics: it must be available and desired by the masses and it must be adaptable. The modern automobile has been proven to possess both of these characteristics..