Pioneers on Wheels: The cars that did it first

Pioneers on Wheels: The cars that did it first

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‍Though the history of the automobile may seem confusing to many because it's broad and plagued with many manufacturers, it’s a fascinating story. Carl Benz built the first-ever car in 1885 and was granted the first-ever driver’s license in 1888. Also, Walter Arnold became the first person to be issued a traffic fine in 1886 after he was caught speeding at about 12km/h while driving the Benz Patent-Motorwagen. 

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While 12km/h may seem like a walking pace by today’s standards, it was four times the speed limit of 3km/h back then. This marked the beginning of many more traffic regulations. Today, vehicles have evolved significantly, boasting groundbreaking features that have altered the automotive market into what it is today. 

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In nearly every case, particular inventions have moved the automotive world one step further. That said, there is always a manufacturer that did it first, making their car a sales hit for the first time and we take a look at these. While we often use these features daily without realising their value, they have played a significant role in the development of the car as we know it today. 

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Safety Seatbelts

Though often overlooked, seatbelts have been an important safety feature in cars for as long as we can remember. They are designed to protect occupants during collisions or sudden stops by reducing the force of secondary impacts and preventing ejection from the vehicle in the event of a crash or rollover.

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Paging through the history books, the seatbelt concept can be traced back to the mid-19th century when English engineer George Cayley invented a safety harness for use in his glider. In the automotive industry, American manufacturers Ford and Nash were the first to offer seat belts as optional features, though they were initially unpopular with consumers.

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In the late 1950s, American engineers Roger W. Griswold and Hugh DeHaven patented the first modern 3-point seatbelt, known as the CIR-Griswold restraint. By 1958, Swedish carmaker Saab had introduced these seatbelts as standard vehicle equipment. The following year, Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin further advanced the design, making the 3-point seatbelt a standard safety feature in vehicles. 

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While Volvo didn’t create the very first seatbelt, they were instrumental in making the 3-point seatbelt a standard safety feature in vehicles.

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Airbags

Airbags, regarded as “passive” restraints, are a significant milestone in vehicle safety. Their history dates back to the 1950s when early designs using compressed air were patented but proved ineffective. A breakthrough came in the 1960s with Allen Breed’s electromechanical airbag system, which used sensors to detect collisions and trigger deployment.

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The first commercial use of airbags was in 1971 with Ford’s testing fleet, and in 1973, General Motors installed airbags in Chevrolet Impalas for government use. The 1973 Oldsmobile Toronado was the first public car with a passenger airbag. Today, airbags are standard in most vehicles, with configurations varying by make and model, including front, side, curtain, knee, and rear-seat airbags.

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Turbocharger

Turbocharging, one of the most common terms in the automotive world, is a method of forced induction designed to enhance performance. This technology is utilised not only in smaller engines with less displacement but also in larger engines to boost their power outputs. It all began in the 1950s as an alternative to naturally aspirated engines but because of the massive turbo lag and excessive costs, the technology was initially short-lived. However, the Chevrolet Corvair Monza and GM’s Oldsmobile Jetfire were among the first cars to adopt the technology in 1962 to boost power output without increasing engine size as well as improve fuel efficiency and emissions. 

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Renault on the other hand also played a pivotal role in 1977 the motorsport arena when it introduced turbocharging in Formula One with the RS01. The F1 rules then allowed 3.0-litre naturally-aspirated engines, with a clause for a smaller 1.5-litre turbocharged engine. Besides the engine facing reliability issues such as engine failures, turbocharging F1 cars became famous in the early 1980s.

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Also, some manufacturers had to go back to the drawing board to find ways of refining the system, leading to greater adoption of turbocharging in the 1980s. Today, turbocharging technology has advanced significantly, driven by the global demand for increased efficiency without compromising power.

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In-car Radio

The evolution of the in-car radio is quite a fascinating tale. The first car to have a radio was a 1922 Chevrolet, ​​the exact model remains a mystery, but what we do know is that this wasn’t your sleek, built-in system. Instead, it was an aftermarket phenomenon with huge speakers, batteries that hardly squeezed under the front seat, and an antenna so large it practically turned the car into a mobile radio tower.

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Roughly eight years later, Galvin Corporation introduced one of the first commercial car radios, under the now-iconic brand name “Motorola”. This radio found its home in a Studebaker and was designed to be more affordable and user-friendly. The setup included a control head mounted on the dashboard, a speaker, and a large antenna, while the radio itself was typically tucked away under the dashboard or in the boot. This innovation marked the dawn of a new era, making car radios more accessible and setting the platform for the sophisticated audio systems we enjoy today.

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Tyre Pressure Monitoring System

Although the tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) may seem like a modern innovation, it has been around for quite some time. Before delving into which manufacturer first introduced this technology, it’s important to understand its role in passive safety systems. Essentially, a TPMS helps prevent traffic accidents, poor fuel economy, and increased tyre wear by detecting under-inflated tyres early, thereby recognising and addressing hazardous conditions before they become critical.

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So, to answer the big question, the Porsche 959 in 1986 was the first passenger vehicle to adopt this feature. Since then, this innovation marked the beginning of the TPMS technology which has since become a standard feature in most modern vehicles. 

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Turn Indicators 

In the early days of automobiles, drivers signalled their intention to turn by using hand gestures, often pointing in the direction they planned to go. Over time, a more standardised method of communication was developed.

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The first car to feature turn signals was the Buick in 1939 when it introduced the “Flash-Way Directional Signal,” which helped popularise the use of the indicators. By 1940, Buick had extended this feature to include front turn signals and added a self-cancelling mechanism. The second car to feature turn signals was the Cadillac in 1940. 

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Automatic Transmission 

The automatic transmission, as we know it, is probably one of the oldest innovations that are still highly in demand, especially in SA due to their technological advancements and ease of use. Regarded as the mother of all automatic gearboxes, General Motors introduced the ‘Clutchless Hydra-Matic’ in 1939 for the 1940 model year. It was a 4-speed design which ensured smoother and more efficient gearshifts in the brand’s Oldsmobiles, however, it had reliability issues such as fluid leaks and overheating. 

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Despite the issues, it helped pave the way for modern automatic transmissions. Today, these come in various forms, including continuously variable transmissions, dual-clutch transmissions, and torque converters, to name a few. 

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Front-mounted engine

When it comes to cars, most of them feature an engine that is mounted on the front part called the bonnet but ever wondered which car set the standard for that? Well, in 1891, the Panhard et Levassor was the first vehicle in the history books to have a front-mounted engine layout. 

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This innovative design not only improved weight distribution but also maximised space, efficiency, boosted cooling performance, and elevated safety standards.

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There is always a starting point

Every innovation has its origins, and automotive manufacturers have tirelessly worked to elevate industry standards. Today, we have cars that are always connected, allowing us to communicate with them and even configure them for various functions including autonomous driving. On the EV front, electric cars continue to flood the market and if you read the history books, you will realise that they come a long way since the 1839 crude carriage, which is regarded as the first EV. 

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Moreover, today we can cruise in vehicles that are not only impressively faster than the Benz Patent-Motorwagen but also far more advanced than we ever imagined. This continuous technology evolution highlights the industry’s unwavering development to push the technological envelope a step further. Today we can look back and appreciate how refined the industry has become. 

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