Learn Russian: Автомобиль едет быстро.

Both mean 'car', but машина is the most common, everyday word. Автомобиль is a bit more formal, similar to 'automobile' or 'motor vehicle' in English, though it is still widely used. Note that машина is a feminine word, while автомобиль is a masculine word ending in a soft sign.

Why is the verb едет used here instead of идёт for 'goes'?

In Russian, verbs of motion are very specific. Идёт is used for going on foot, while едет is used for going by transport, like a car, train, or bike. Since a car is a vehicle, it travels by transport, so we must use едет.

Does едет mean the car is driving around in general, or going somewhere specific right now?

Едет is a one-way verb of motion, meaning the car is going in one specific direction right now. If we wanted to say 'the car drives fast' as a general fact, habit, or driving in multiple directions, we would use the multi-directional verb ездит.

The word for 'fast' is быстро. Why does it end in an 'о'?