The term auto club, in the U.S., generally refers to the local affiliate of AAA (formerly known as the American Automobile Association; in 2002, the organization changed its official name to simply the initials). In the early days of motoring this may have indeed been a club, today it is essentially an insurance company which provides emergency towing and road service to motorists who pay an annual membership fee. Local AAA affiliates provide other services such as selling automobile liability insurance and providing free or reduced-price publications to members, such as maps and hotel and motel rating guides.
