Chroniclers of the auto industry credit Henry Ford with almost single-handedly reorienting the industry from custom-made vehicles for a privileged elite toward standard cars for a mass market. Assembly-line production dramatically lowered costs and brought car ownership within reach for millions of Americans. The allure of the automobile culture has since seemed unstoppable. In 1987, a record 126,000 cars rolled off assembly lines each working day, and close to 400 million vehicles clog the world's streets today.

Chroniclers of the auto industry credit Henry Ford with almost single-handedly reorienting the industry from custom-made vehicles for a privileged elite toward standard cars for a mass market. Assembly-line production dramatically lowered costs and brought car ownership within reach for millions of Americans. The allure of the automobile culture has since seemed unstoppable. In 1987, a record 126,000 cars rolled off assembly lines each working day, and close to 400 million vehicles clog the world's streets today.