Most auto loan finance companies will indeed charge you a fee "penalty" for paying the car loan off early.
The auto loan finance company wants you to continue to make the payments so that the car loan company can make that interest on the car loan.
So if they can't get their interest from you through the long term payments of the car loan then they'll most likely charge you a penalty for paying off the auto loan early.
It's also a great idea to keep the car loan until the full term of the loan is up and continue to make the payments as having an open and in good standing car loan or other loan helps to build your credit over time and shows that you're a good risk for another loan.