Ever since Henry Ford invented the Model T, America has been romanced by the automobile. Today America is very much a car culture and most people find that owning a car is essential to their lives. Modern housing developments usually spring up in the suburbs away from city transportation, but close to main boulevards and interstate highways which become a lifeline to support their active lifestyles.

To live in these developments without a car would make modern life almost impossible. One would become a virtual prisoner in his own home. For this reason no private home today is built without a driveway and garage. Many homes may even have as many as three or four cars; one owned by each member of the family.
Japanese cars, although small in size, are very popular in America because they are very economical to maintain and fuel efficient. In general, American cars are neither economical to run nor efficient with fuel. Nevertheless, they are much larger with plenty of space in the trunk storage area and the back seat. However, in comparison to other developed nations, gas in America is still reasonably priced. Americans, therefore, tend to clock in more miles on their car every year because of the larger distances covered in getting from place to place.
If Japan is well-connected by its excellent railroad system, America prides herself on her vast network of parkways and superhighways which connect the smaller town with the bigger cities. Perhaps no country in the world has developed such an extensive highway system as the United States with so many toll-free roads. Her dependence on the automobile has made such highways both a convenience and a necessity. Along these highway can be found almost every modern convenience so that one can travel endlessly without ever making contact with cities. Along the highways are motels, restaurants, shopping malls and entertainment centers.

In America one is more likely to see cars in a rainbow of colors and a variety of shades with the possible exception of white. This is probably the least popular color for an American motorist. Americans feel that a white car is too conspicuous and much harder to keep clean than one which has a darker color. The color white shows up all the grit and grime of city pollution and road traffic.
This integration of the automobile into the lifestyle of most Americans is also reflected in the many driver's education courses found in the curriculum of most high schools. Students can earn needed credits for graduation by taking these courses and gaining for themselves a driver's license in the process. It is not odd to see high school seniors in the countryside going to school every day by car and parking on the school grounds.

This dependency on the auto is also seen in the way American's conduct their everyday lives. Drive-in banks and fast food places can be used without ever leavings one's own car. Even today, in spite of the warnings of ecologists, a popular leisure activity on a holiday is to just drive along an open highway with no specific purpose at all.