Like the thermostat, the cooling fan has to be controlled so that it allows the engine to maintain a constant temperature.
Front-wheel drive cars have electric fans because the engine is usually mounted transversely, meaning the output of the engine points toward the side of the car. The fans are controlled either with a thermostatic switch or by the engine computer, and they turn on when the temperature of the coolant goes above a set point. They turn back off when the temperature drops below that point.
Rear-wheel drive cars with longitudinal engines usually have engine-driven cooling fans.