Mechanically speaking, what happens when a cars alignment is off? Why is it designed to misalign to begin with?

Question

Mechanically speaking, what happens when a cars alignment is off? Why is it designed to misalign to begin with?

In: 13

Answer 1

Thanks all for the input.

I assumed (not knowing differently) that the misalignment was a protection mechanism to prevent things from breaking.

One of the few things I can’t, nor have ever done myself, hence not knowing more about it.

I wish there were some self adjustment/recalibration mechanisms in place to at least in a limited fashion straighten it.