Final answer:
The net work done by a car driving at a constant velocity is zero because work is the product of force and distance, and in this case, the force provided by the car's engine is balanced by opposing forces, resulting in no net force and therefore no work done.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a car is driving down the highway at a constant velocity, the net work done by the car is zero, because there is no change in kinetic energy. This is due to the fact that work, as defined in physics, is the transfer of energy that occurs when a force makes an object move. In the case of constant velocity on a flat surface, the force exerted by the car's engine is balanced by the frictional and air resistance forces acting opposite to the car's movement.
If we were considering a scenario where a car needed to accelerate to reach that velocity, then the net work done on the car would be the product of the force required to accelerate and the distance over which this force is applied. However, in this particular question, since the car moves at constant velocity and there is no acceleration, the net work done by the car after driving 42 meters is zero.