ABSTRACT
It would be hard to imagine growing up in the twentieth century without developing at least a passing interest in automobiles. For the past one hundred years, they have been a ubiquitous part of all developed and developing economies around the world (Eckermann, 2001). Since World War Two, with the growth of transportation infrastructure and the growth of the developed economies’ middle class, they have become even more a part of our societies. Their pervasiveness and relevance to life in developed and developing countries have achieved virtual iconic status. They are an integral part of our lives and notwithstanding predictions of the decline of the automobile, their role in the development of our economic, social and cultural milieu cannot be denied (Sachs, 1992).
