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1 Humans and their cars constituted the greatest love affair of the past century.U.S. household and vehicle statistics
 No. of registered 
 No. of households vehicles Total vehicle miles
Year (thousands) (thousands) (millions)
1950 43,554 43,501 458,246
1980 80,776 139,831 1,527,295
2000 104,705 213,300 2,746,925
2010 117,538 239,812 2,966,494
Source Transportation Energy Data Book: Edition 31, Chapter 8, Office of 
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, 2010.When one considers that in the United States 
the number of vehicles is increasing faster than the population, it looks like
the love affair with the automobile has turned into an addiction.Most people who don't 
have a car want one, and those who already own one would like a newer, 
bigger, faster, and fancier model.Cars represent freedom, mobility, power, and status.