The Great American Car Culture

Cars have been the heart of America since World War II. With innovation and technology, things are not exactly the same they used to be. A lot of changes have come through once the US restarted the production of consumer cars again post the war in 1946. People were eager to get back on the road. Companies capitalized on the post-war trends. the captured the essence of war vehicles into consumer vehicles. Much of it was integrated into the design like new shiny chrome grills and turn key ignition. Here we are today, with cars that drive themselves in a matter of 75 years.

The car culture has also gone through those changes and adapted to them. Today even the toughest of cars like Jeep, which was introduced as a military jeep prototype in November 1940., are selling luxury trucks and SUVs. Gone are the days of elegant and basic chrome finishes. Technology has taken over the next big thing among car collectors. Automation is what the next generation seeks the most in the vehicle. Everything has to be done with the touch of a button. However, one thing that has remained the same is their love for cars. Not just their car but all the cars. No matter what change comes through, some things remain constant. Perhaps that is what forms a culture. The love for cars unites Americans on lots of levels. This phenomenon soon traveled the world. When Europe was considered as the manufacturers’ world, America became the consumers' world. Soon people around the world also got easy to access cars and they joined the culture. So much so that UAE is the biggest automobile collectors market in the world. Cars have also become a symbol of change in various parts of the world. Recently, women were allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia, which was considered one of their biggest victories towards gender equality.

America has grown and embraced all these changes. That is visible in terms of the quality and quantity of cars in modern times. Americans have larger access to ideas, technologies, and technicians today than before. Car meet-ups are proof of that. Today people can travel up to thousands of miles for a car meet up. This availability and access have helped the family to grow despite inflation, war, pandemic. Car Culture in America only seems to grow. With the world moving towards renewable energy, America and Americans are the first to adapt. With the domestic conglomerate, Tesla, leading and paving the way for mass production of consumer electric cars. The only thing to watch is how soon it becomes the norm.