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Automobile vs. Machine — What's the Difference?

By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Updated on May 2, 2024
Automobiles are specific types of machines designed for road travel, primarily powered by internal combustion engines or electric motors, while machines are any devices that apply mechanical power to perform tasks.
Automobile vs. Machine — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Automobile and Machine

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Key Differences

Automobiles, or cars, are wheeled vehicles primarily used for transporting passengers on roads. They are a specific type of machine focused on mobility. On the other hand, machines encompass a broad category of mechanical or electronic devices that perform various functions, ranging from simple tools like levers to complex computers.
While automobiles operate predominantly through engines—either internal combustion or electric—machines might utilize various power sources, including human force, hydraulic, pneumatic, or electrical systems. This difference highlights the specialized nature of automobiles within the broader spectrum of machines.
Automobiles are highly regulated in terms of safety standards and environmental impacts, which dictate their design and functionality. In contrast, machines can vary widely in their design and regulation depending on their application, from industrial robots to household appliances.
The development of automobiles is closely linked to advancements in transportation and urban planning. Whereas, machines play a critical role across multiple sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, and agriculture, reflecting their diverse applications.
Innovation in automobile technology often focuses on improving efficiency, safety, and sustainability. However, innovations in machines could be broader, including automation, artificial intelligence, and efficiency improvements across various industries.
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Comparison Chart

Definition

A vehicle for road travel
A device that performs a task

Primary Use

Transportation
Broad range of applications

Typical Power Source

Internal combustion or electric motors
Human, electrical, hydraulic, etc.

Regulatory Focus

Safety and environmental impact
Varies widely

Innovation Focus

Efficiency, safety, sustainability
Automation, AI, efficiency

Compare with Definitions

Automobile

A car, distinct from vehicles like trucks or buses.
He prefers an automobile over a motorcycle for family trips.

Machine

Any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy.
This machine can process hundreds of items per hour.

Automobile

A road vehicle with an engine and seating.
John drives an automobile suited for long journeys.

Machine

An apparatus using mechanical power and having several parts.
The washing machine broke down yesterday.

Automobile

A self-propelled passenger vehicle.
Their new automobile offers an advanced navigation system.

Machine

A device that applies power to perform tasks.
The factory uses a machine for packaging.

Automobile

A vehicle primarily designed for passenger transport.
The automobile industry is crucial to the economy.

Machine

A system or thing that performs a function.
Their new computer is a powerful machine.

Automobile

A motor vehicle with four wheels.
Her automobile is equipped with the latest safety features.

Machine

A tool that performs a specific function.
A coffee machine simplifies the brewing process.

Automobile

A self-propelled passenger vehicle that usually has four wheels and an internal-combustion engine, used for land transport. Also called motorcar.

Machine

A machine is any physical system with ordered structural and functional properties. It may represent human-made or naturally occurring device molecular machine that uses power to apply forces and control movement to perform an action.

Automobile

Of or relating to automobiles; automotive.

Machine

A device consisting of fixed and moving parts that redirects mechanical energy to accomplish a particular task or set of tasks.

Automobile

A type of vehicle designed to move on the ground under its own stored power and intended to carry a driver, a small number of additional passengers, and a very limited amount of other load. A car or motorcar.

Machine

See simple machine.

Automobile

To travel by automobile.

Machine

See compound machine.

Automobile

Self-moving; self-propelled.

Machine

A system or device for doing work, as an automobile or jackhammer, together with its power source and auxiliary equipment.

Automobile

A self-propelled vehicle used for transporting passengers, suitable for use on a street or roadway. Many diferent models of automobiles have beenbuilt and sold commercially, possessing varied features such as a retractable roof (in a convertible), different braking systems, different propulsion systems, and varied styling. Most models have four wheels but some have been built with three wheels. Automobiles are usually propelled by internal combustion engines (using volatile inflammable liquids, as gasoline or petrol, alcohol, naphtha, etc.), and sometimes by steam engines, or electric motors. The power of the driving motor varies from under 50 H. P. for earlier models to over 200 H. P. larger models or high-performance sports or racing cars. An automobile is commonly called a car or an auto, and generally in British usage, motor cars.

Machine

A system or device, such as a computer, that performs or assists in the performance of a human task
The machine is down.

Automobile

To travel in an automobile.

Machine

An intricate natural system or organism, such as the human body.

Automobile

4-wheeled motor vehicle; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine;
He needs a car to get to work

Machine

A person who acts in a rigid, mechanical, or unconscious manner.

Automobile

Travel in an automobile

Machine

An organized group of people whose members are or appear to be under the control of one or more leaders
A political machine.

Machine

A device used to produce a stage effect, especially a mechanical means of lowering an actor onto the stage.

Machine

A literary device used to produce an effect, especially the introduction of a supernatural being to resolve a plot.

Machine

An answering machine
Leave a message on my machine if I'm not home.

Machine

Of, relating to, or felt to resemble a machine
Machine repairs.
Machine politics.

Machine

To cut, shape, or finish by machine.

Machine

To be cut, shaped, or finished by machine
This metal machines easily.

Machine

A device that directs and controls energy, often in the form of movement or electricity, to produce a certain effect.

Machine

(dated) A vehicle operated mechanically, such as an automobile or an airplane.

Machine

An answering machine or, by extension, voice mail.
I called you earlier, but all I got was the machine.

Machine

(computing) A computer.
Game developers assume they're pushing the limits of the machine.
He refuses to turn off his Linux machine.

Machine

(figuratively) A person or organisation that seemingly acts like a machine, being particularly efficient, single-minded, or unemotional.
Bruce Campbell was a "demon-killing machine" because he made quick work of killing demons.
The government has become a money-making machine.

Machine

Especially, the group that controls a political or similar organization; a combination of persons acting together for a common purpose, with the agencies which they use.

Machine

(poetry) Supernatural agency in a poem, or a superhuman being introduced to perform some exploit.

Machine

The system of special interest groups that supports a political party, especially in urban areas.

Machine

Penis.

Machine

(historical) A contrivance in the Ancient Greek theatre for indicating a change of scene, by means of which a god might cross the stage or deliver a divine message; the deus ex machina.

Machine

(obsolete) A bathing machine.

Machine

To make by machinery.

Machine

To shape or finish by machinery; (usually, more specifically) to shape subtractively by metal-cutting with machine-controlled toolpaths.

Machine

In general, any combination of bodies so connected that their relative motions are constrained, and by means of which force and motion may be transmitted and modified, as a screw and its nut, or a lever arranged to turn about a fulcrum or a pulley about its pivot, etc.; especially, a construction, more or less complex, consisting of a combination of moving parts, or simple mechanical elements, as wheels, levers, cams, etc., with their supports and connecting framework, calculated to constitute a prime mover, or to receive force and motion from a prime mover or from another machine, and transmit, modify, and apply them to the production of some desired mechanical effect or work, as weaving by a loom, or the excitation of electricity by an electrical machine.

Machine

Any mechanical contrivance, as the wooden horse with which the Greeks entered Troy; a coach; a bicycle.

Machine

A person who acts mechanically or at the will of another.

Machine

A combination of persons acting together for a common purpose, with the agencies which they use; as, the social machine.
The whole machine of government ought not to bear upon the people with a weight so heavy and oppressive.

Machine

A political organization arranged and controlled by one or more leaders for selfish, private or partisan ends; the Tammany machine.

Machine

Supernatural agency in a poem, or a superhuman being introduced to perform some exploit.

Machine

To subject to the action of machinery; to make, cut, shape, or modify with a machine; to effect by aid of machinery; to print with a printing machine.

Machine

Any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of human tasks

Machine

An intricate organization that accomplishes its goals efficiently;
The war machine

Machine

An efficient person;
The boxer was a magnificent fighting machine

Machine

4-wheeled motor vehicle; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine;
He needs a car to get to work

Machine

A group that controls the activities of a political party;
He was endorsed by the Democratic machine

Machine

A device for overcoming resistance at one point by applying force at some other point

Machine

Turn, shape, mold, or otherwise finish by machinery

Machine

Make by machinery;
The Americans were machining while others still hand-made cars

Common Curiosities

What are typical power sources for automobiles?

Automobiles typically use internal combustion engines or electric motors.

What is an automobile?

An automobile is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers.

What defines a machine?

A machine is any device that applies mechanical power to perform a specific task.

Can an automobile be considered a machine?

Yes, an automobile is a type of machine specifically tailored for transportation.

What kinds of machines are there?

Machines can be simple tools like levers and pulleys, or complex like computers and robots.

What role do automobiles play in society?

Automobiles are crucial for personal and public transportation, significantly influencing urban development and daily life.

Are all machines electrically powered?

No, machines can be powered by various means, including human force, hydraulics, pneumatics, or electricity.

How are machines integrated into everyday life?

Machines are integral to various aspects of life, from household appliances to industrial equipment.

How do automobiles and machines differ in function?

Automobiles are specifically designed for road travel, while machines have a broader range of functions across different industries.

What regulations affect automobiles?

Automobiles are subject to safety and environmental regulations to ensure they are safe to operate and environmentally friendly.

What safety features are common in automobiles?

Common safety features in automobiles include airbags, seat belts, anti-lock braking systems, and collision detection.

How has automobile technology evolved over time?

Automobile technology has advanced in terms of engine efficiency, safety features, and the introduction of electric vehicles.

What is the impact of machine innovation on industry?

Machine innovation significantly enhances productivity and efficiency across multiple sectors.

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Author Spotlight

Written by
Tayyaba Rehman
Tayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj Arif
Urooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.

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