A Brief History of Motion: From the Wheel, to the Car, to What Comes Next

Interesting and entertaining pop-history (pop-techno history?) that on the whole feels a little lightweight. That said, there was a lot of good history around the development of the automobile, and I especially enjoyed the sections talking about why the internal combustion engine won out over its steam and electrical rivals. There wasn't much of an organizing theme, but the chapters were written in a breezy style that was fun to read.<br /><br /><br />

Výborné, ak vás len trochu zaujíma doprava a to, ako formuje naše prostredie a mestá. Z časti história, z menšej časti bleskový prehľad, aký je dnešný stav a kam jednotlivé línie rozvoja (elektrické autá, autonómia..) smerujú. Veľa vtipných "veď to bolo presne ako dnes!" momentov, dozviete sa, ako to bolo naozaj s legendou, že autá sa presadili vďaka tomu, že po koňoch zostávalo na uliciach priveľa trusu, výborná aj časť, ako elektrická autá dominovali svetu pred 120 rokmi a prečo ich vytlačil spaľovací motor.

Interesting Overview. Needs Bibliography. It is actually somewhat interesting to me that of five reviews on Goodreads prior to this one, one of the reviewers specifically notes a lack of footnotes as a *good* thing... and this very thing is actually pretty well the only thing I could find to *ding* this text on. But I'm fairly consistent in that - no matter what, I expect a fact-based (vs more memoir-based) nonfiction title to include and reference a decent sized bibliography.<br /><br />That noted, the substance of this text was well-written, approachable, at times amusing, and full of facts from a wide range of eras that this reader had not previously known. Even in the chapter on the development of driverless cars - much more thoroughly documented in DRIVEN by Alex Davies - there were a few facts that even having read that book and being a professional software developer (and thus more generally aware of tech than some), I genuinely didn't know before reading this book. Preceding chapters tracing the development of transportation during the 19th and early 20th centuries in particular were utterly fascinating, as was later coverage of the potential future for a car-less society. Remarkably well balanced, the text tends to steer clear - pun absolutely intended - of various relevant controversies (climate change, Peak Oil, Peak Car, autonomous vehicles, car-less society, etc) even while discussing said controversies' impact on society and future developments. Truly a solid examination of its topic, and very much recommended.

A great pairing of another book I just read, Green Metropolis by David Owen. Both books question the hard assumption that cars are simply givens in our society. In fact, as Standage explores in this book, they are products of technology and commerce, spanning thousands of years back but only recently redefining our cities and suburbs. <br /><br />Cars, and everything they’ve shaped, are not forgone conclusions, but rather “a reminder that seemingly unimportant decisions can have consequences decades or even centuries later.” The social, political, and technical ramifications of our car-centric society are even more clear when we look back in history and apply these lessons to the future of transportation, one in which the smart phone is taking over the car as a truly transformative technology (that, by the way, combines transportation options — scooters, ride sharing and hailing, bikes, and maps — in favor of straight-up car ownership).<br /><br />Part history, part critique, the book spans thousands of years back to the first wheel and its slow implementation in war, construction, agriculture, sports, and eventually transportation. We get a brief history of the differences between horse riding (masc.) and carriage riding (fem.) that comes to foreshadow the difference between combustion engines and electric batteries years later.<br /><br />We also get common themes, like the democratization of travel, as more and more technologies that are first only available to the wealthy elite are eventually made affordable and therefore accessible to the masses, opening up whole new cultures, as was the case of the social impact on teenagers. <br /><br />Standage also presents the economic and capitalistic implications of cars, the familiar story of Henry Ford and the Model T, while giving a more fuller history of its origins and progression, as well as its inability to stay relevant against the more dynamic General Motors company. As cars become less novelties, people want more options, a concept that propelled GM to the top of car manufacturing, as recounted in the “You are what you drive” chapter. <br /><br />Perhaps my favorite chapters concerned the urban design and transformation that took place in the wake of the car boom, specifically in post war America and how the car industry, whose products are still extremely dangerous, put the onus on pedestrians rather than drivers or vehicles, coalescing in penalizing jaywalking, which created the notion that cars, not pedestrians, owned the street (sigh).<br /><br />“Deciding that cars ruled the roads was a choice made by political leaders, encouraged by powerful car-industry lobbies, when the supremacy of the car seemed inevitable and inescapable,” writes Standage in a passage that makes me want to scream to the gods. “But no matter how much street space is located to cars, it’s never enough.”<br /><br />Just as influential is how cars shaped our very physical infrastructure, leading to the creation of fast food, drive in movies, shopping malls, supermarkets, and of course, suburbs. As cars, like other public transit, allows people to move faster and further, it gives them incentive to sprawl (zoning and highways further encourages/exacerbates this problem).<br /><br />Standage leaves us with three lessons that the history of motion offers for the future: 1. We should be weary of replacing one monoculture with another (e.g. cars for autonomous cars), and with a mixed system (buses, Ubers, scooters, etc.) there is less danger of path dependency; 2. All technologies have unintended consequences (highways, inequality, suburbs); and 3. We must closely scrutinize the nasty unanticipated long-term impacts of transportation revolutions (pollution, data mining, tracking, etc.).<br /><br />As Standage writes, it is 1895 again, and we’re at the eve of another transportation revolution, with concerns about traffic, safety, and the environment front and center: “The future is not predetermined… we now have can opportunity to learn from history and choose a way forward in which the world is no longer build around the automobile.”

Transportation of men and material from one location to another in a fast and efficient manner is an indicator of civilizational progress when taken over a large interval of time. I insist on having the disclaimer on time because in most cities and urban landscapes of the world, transportation speed and efficiency is considerably less than what it were a half-century ago. However, a liberating breakthrough is sure to occur and take human progress to the next level. That is the lesson we learn from the history of various cultures and their technology. Innovative technologies often initially present themselves with potential for doubt and confusion about its feasibility. Today, there is once again that sense of change, opportunity and uncertainty, as a result of a sudden proliferation of new forms of transport. Experts predict a not-so-late demise of the car as a mode of travel which moved humanity in the twentieth century. This book is a good narrative of man’s progress from invention of the wheel to smartphone-enabled ride sharing services on a driverless vehicle. Tom Standage is deputy editor at the Economist and editor of its future-gazing annual ‘The World Ahead’. He is also the author of many best-selling books and lives in London.<br /><br />Just as it is apt to begin from the very beginning, Standage starts the narrative with early forms of transport. It is widely believed that the wheel was invented in Mesopotamia in the fourth millennium BCE as a means for conveying grain from one place to the other. This book proposes that it was invented in Europe, in the Carpathian mountain region in west Ukraine, for transporting copper ore about 400 years earlier than the date on which wheel was supposed to have come into being in Mesopotamia. To consolidate the claim, the author alludes to Ljubljana Marshes wheel found in Poland at around the same time. Wherever it may have originated, some of the formal rules governing the use of wheeled vehicles and the earliest examples of urban environments being reshaped to accommodate them date to the Roman period in the late centuries BCE. There was public pressure not to allow wheeled vehicles on city streets which were the preserve of the townsfolk. However, Julius Caesar introduced a law in 45 BCE, the Lex Julia Municipalis, allowing their use in the city of Rome only from dusk until dawn.<br /><br />The next revolution in transport occurred around the early-twentieth century with the development of cars. Horses, which were used for transport and hauling carriages, had become a nightmare for most cities when their numbers proliferated and horse manure had become a grave environmental issue for the town’s inhabitants. Alternate vehicles used steam, petrol and electricity. It is curious to learn that battery-powered cars entered the fray more than a century ago. But with the discovery of new petroleum reserves in many parts of the globe, cheap fuel oil replaced all others as the prime mover. Cars became accessible to the common man with the introduction of Ford Model T. Prices of cars ranged from $2800 to $7000, but the Model T was priced at $850 only. Unlike others, its advertisements did not depict a target customer or context of use, implying that this universal car was suitable for everyone. The challenge was to build an engine that was light but powerful. Ford identified Vanadium steel, which had just then become commercially available in Europe. Ford’s ‘moving assembly line’ concept reduced the production cost to a great extent. The Model T sold for just $298 in five years and it cornered a market share of 55 per cent. By extending car ownership down the income scale, the Model T brought motoring to the masses.<br /><br />After building up the story of the automobile, the book looks into the mess it had unintentionally brought about in urban settlements. Clogging of road lanes due to heavy traffic and pollution has prompted authorities to curb vehicular traffic in selected areas of the city. This was necessitated due to transfer of population to the suburbs when better transportation was available a half century ago. Standage examines the urban layouts by Cesare Marchetti. It suggests that one hour is, on average, how long people are willing to spend travelling to and from work each day and has been so for centuries. Some people commute much shorter or longer, but the average holds for a whole city’s population. When faster modes of transport emerge, cities grow in size.<br /><br />The author also studies the impact cars and automobiles have brought in re-moulding social relationships and societal restrictions. Cars and the freedom they provided were central to the teenage culture that began to take shape in 1940s America and exported worldwide. It changed the eating habits too. The drive-in restaurants that sprang up along American highways, catering to time-pressed drivers with fast service and the promise of consistency under a nationwide brand, gave rise to the modern concept of fast food. Cars have been the driving force in creating shopping patterns. In a future in which cars would assume a decidedly less prominent role, its owners’ habits are bound to change. Although teenagers and young adults embrace malls and large supermarkets as a social space, malls are in retreat. By 2005, around 1500 enclosed malls were built in the US, but hardly any have been built since then. Smartphones provide a far more convenient venue to chat with friends and other social activities. The Covid pandemic has also encouraged customers to buy from online stores rather than physical nearby outlets.<br /><br />Standage makes a few intelligent guesses about the future of personal transportation in future. An obvious candidate is the electric car which makes a comeback facilitated by the Lithium-ion battery that expanded the storage capacity of batteries. He argues that the concept of a personally owned car would soon become obsolete. Ride-sharing and ride-hailing are suggested as the two alternatives enabled by powerful smartphones. Improvements in mass transport systems such as the Hyperloop are not even mentioned. Similarly conspicuous by absence is the story of air travel and its potential for the future. The book can be clearly divided into two halves – one being the historical development of automobiles and the other being deliberations on the future. The first part is very interesting to read, but the latter appears to be labored. The practical implications of the author’s imagined future would become apparent only after a few decades. The author’s prediction that personal ownership of cars would shrink in the future is a bold one as it requires letting go of a major icon of flaunting one’s wealth in many societies. The availability of shared vehicles in the case of a national or climate emergency is also a point which would weigh heavily in the decision-making process of the people.<br /><br />The book is recommended.

An excellent, edifying, erudite primer that wheels and deals in information on all things motion related. <br /> In the beginning there was a wheel and, surprisingly enough, it wasn’t all that popular at first. Then it became all the rage and got a companion wheel. Enter cart (or a chariot if you’re fancy). But mostly a cart of some sort as in a small utility vehicle dragged along by some sort of an animal. Not the most efficient thing, but it stayed that way for centuries. Then the Industrial Age rolled around and everyone got chariotfancy and inventionhappy. And soon there were all sorts of fascinating inventions for daringly animal free locomotion. <br /> Some of it turned into bicycles and most of it turned into cars. Eventually. After a series of various stabs at it from a variety of directions. And then cars took over the world. <br /> Now that’s brief. The book expands on all these things in twelve informative chapters that chronologically trace not only the progress of motion, but also the social, political and economical ramifications of it. And it’s genuinely fascinating. Even for people with no special interest in cars. Because it’s more than a story of motion, it’s a story on the world.<br /> Since US is the leading car producer, user, etc. it steals the focus of the book. Right after all those Europeans get done inventing things, American comes along and makes them. In bulk. And so beginning with the Ford / GM rivalry of the early 20th century and right up to the present day with car production finally, finally, possibly on a downslide thanks to the numerous ride sharing options and potential of self driving vehicles and so on…you’ll get to know all about why Americans are so obsessed with cars and how this obsession has shaped the way they live. <br /> I already said fascinating, but it’s really such an apt descriptor here. This was just so well done. All the things I value in nonfiction…smart, accessibly written, succinct, with plenty of visual aid and not dragged down by footnotes (at least in the ARC edition). Gave me lots to ponder too. You learn and learn and it’s fun the entire time. I really enjoyed this book and it provided a most excellent introduction to a new to me author. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.<br /><br /><b>This and more at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/">https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/</a></b>

This book did have quite A few interesting parts/facts, but overall this was quite A boring read for me. Which is why it took nearly A whole month to finish.

ประวัติอย่างย่อของการพัฒนาเทคโนโลยีการเดินทาง ที่ชี้ให้เห็นถึงการเกี่ยวเนื่องของการเมือง วัฒนธรรมและเทคโนโลยี<br /><br />หนังสือเล่าเรื่องการเปลี่ยนผ่านของการทอดทิ้งยุครถม้ามาสู่รถยนต์ได้ดีมาก ~ ความกลัวรถยนต์ของคนบางกลุ่ม อ่อ ปัจจุบันก็พบเห็นตรรกะเดียวกันได้อยู่ ไม่เกินจินตนาการเท่าไร<br /><br />“มันเริ่มต้นจากการทดลองทางวิทยาศาสตร์ ดำเนินต่อไปจนกลายเป็นเครื่องมือแห่งการผจญภัย แล้วก็เป็นของเล่นของคนรวย จากนั้นเป็นความทะเยอทะยานของคนจน สุดท้ายมันเป็นผู้รับใช้ต่อทุกคน” Filson Young, The Living Age, 1911<br /><br />แก้ปัญหาด้วยทางแก้ปัญหาที่นำไปสู่ปัญหาใหม่ที่อาจจะแย่และแก้ยากกว่าเดิม ชั้นสะดวกสบายเข้าว่า ชหนิดหน่อยก็ช่างมันเดี๋ยวชั้นก็ตายแล้ว <br />การเลือกอะไรบางอย่างถึงดูเล็กน้อยอาจส่งผลกระทบได้ยาวนานยันชั่วลูกชั่วหลานได้ ความกังวลต่อการเปลี่ยนแปลงและของใหม่ ๆ การเตะถ่วงจากผู้ได้ผลประโยชน์เดิม ช่างเป็นแพทเทิร์นที่เห็นแล้วเห็นอีกในประวัติศาสตร์มนุษย์จริง ๆ<br />แต่รถยนต์มันก็นำมาสู่ปัญหาใหม่อีกนั่นแหละ รอการพัฒนาหาทางแก้ปัญหากันไปเรื่อย ๆ<br /><br />ก็อดทึ่งไม่ได้กับความทะเยอทะยานของมนุษย์นะที่เปลี่ยนหน้าประวัติศาสตร์ได้ไม่หยุดหย่อน ทุกอย่างพัฒนาในแง่ใดแง่หนึ่งอยู่ตลอดเวลาไม่หยุดยั้ง <br />จากการทุ่นแรงและอำนวยความสะดวกกลายมาเป็นสิ่งแบ่งแยกสถานะได้ นำไปสู่การพัฒนาของการจัดการจราจร/ผังเมืองและความเจริญของพื้นที่หนึ่ง ๆ ซึ่งก็เลี่ยงไม่ได้ที่จะมีผลต่อวิถีชีวิตของผู้คน การแสดงความรัก การกินอาหาร สิทธิทางชนชั้น การเจริญของทุนนิยม แล้วก็…การบาดเจ็บที่รุนแรงขึ้นแล���สาเหตุการตายแบบใหม่ ที่นำไปสู่การให้สัญญาณและกฏการใช้ถนนร่วมกันของคนเดินถนนและพาหนะต่าง ๆ และ นวัตกรรมใหม่ ๆ เพื่อตอบสนองความต้องการของมนุษย์<br /><br />มนุษย์ก็โหยหาอิสระไปเรื่อย ๆ <br />จากเดิมที่ยานพาหนะทำให้ชีวิตมีอิสระ<br />จนการเข้ามาของอินเตอร์เนตและสมาร์ทโฟนทำให้ขยายขอบเขตความอิสระได้มากกว่าเดิม<br />เครื่องมือเดิม ๆ ก็ต้องปรับเปลี่ยนเพื่อให้คงอยู่ต่อไป<br /><br />สุดปัง<br /><br />…<br /><br />ยืมฟรีจากแอป TK read ดองไว้เกือบจะหมดอายุ ถถถ

This is an entertaining read with some surprises and some sections that are more well known about transportation methods throughout history. The most thought provoking section is the glimpse into the future away from personally owned vehicles to purchasing rides using multiple different modes of travel from bikes and e-scooters to autonomous vehicles. It's instructive to see the unintended consequences of different travel means throughout history, and how that shapes decisions about future travel technologies and the impact on society. we can only hope we can learn from past experience.

An interesting history of wheeled vehicles / cars and the city planning that cars require.