Believe it or not, there was a time when car keys didn’t even exist (up until 1949) or when riding in a car was virtually unbearable as suspension was yet to be introduced (pre-1934).
Since the arrival of Mercedes’ Daimler Motor Carriage in 1885, the car has gone from a pipedream to one of the most fundamental parts of modern life.
Of all the technological advances, what are the five that standout as having the biggest impact on the industry to date?
Ford’s (News - Alert) Assembly Line & the Model T (1908)
The introduction of the Model T changed the American way of life for good.
Until this point the automobile was only accessible for the richest in society but, thanks to Henry Ford’s revolutionary developments in assembly line manufacturing, owning a car became a realistic possibility for the average working man.
Costing less than $300 by 1925, the Model T comprised 40% of all cars sold in the US. This paved the way for a mass-produced industry and revolutionised the car market into what we know today.
The Three-Point Seat Belt (1959)
Whilst a two-point design had been around for some time, Volvo’s Nils Bohlin introduced the familiar three-point seatbelt we see universally today.
Knowing it would save lives, Volvo gave away the patent to other manufacturers for free, with ensuing laws for them to be compulsorily fitted and worn over the next 20-30 years.
In the US alone, it’s estimated seat belts save around 15,000 lives a year, meaning they have saved millions worldwide since their inception.
The Catalytic Converter (1973)
Perhaps ahead of his time, Eugene Houdry developed the catalytic converter in the 1950s after becoming concerned with early studies on smog in Los Angeles.
Designed to reduce the emissions of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbons, converters became compulsory in all petrol cars by 1993.
Reducing those emissions by around 90%, the converter has played a massive part in addressing environmental and climate change issues that are more relevant than ever today.
GPS Sat-Nav (2000)
What anyone under 25 will not understand is that there was a time where journeys had to be meticulously planned with big Ordnance Survey maps, wrong turns were common place and there was a very real chance you could get genuinely lost.
It was a good few years after its introduction in 2000 before the Sat-Nav really took hold, but now you won’t find a car in the first world without some form of GPS guidance.
Hybrid Vehicles (2000)
Hybrid vehicles have a longer history than you might think, however the flagship model of the hybrid movement, the Toyota Prius, only came into existence just after the turn of the millennium.
Now, with over a million hybrids sold globally each year, every car manufacturer in the world is developing the technology which will shape the industry for the next few decades.
There’s plenty to look forward to in the future as well, but if you are looking for a car in the meantime, The AA has a full range of used vehicles to choose from.
