15 facts about cars that will surprise and delight you



The most interesting facts of automotive history that changed the world.

15 facts about cars that will surprise and delight you 

We know all our readers love cars. Someone more, someone less. Anyone obsessed with anything that moves. That is, we relate differently to cars. But despite this, all of us always interesting to learn something new about the world and its history.

15 facts about cars that will surprise and delight you

Because we are by nature inquisitive and curious creatures. To satisfy your curiosity, we decided to collect for you the most interesting facts about the automotive industry, which relate to events that changed cars forever.

 

1893. Alfred Vacheron, becomes the first who puts the steering wheel in the car instead of the tiller, which is a kind of lever …

15 facts about cars that will surprise and delight you 

Think about how today would look like cars in that if Alfred Vacheron invented the steering wheel round. Yes, of course, you can argue long about the fact that in the world the wheel was invented by someone else. But who knows.

The history of the development of the industry in the world has repeatedly shown that technology can be a long stand still, almost not evolving, until someone will offer something radically new. It is not excluded that in addition to Alfred Vacheron in the world there would be more of a man capable of offering to equip the cars round component to control.

I think that if not Through, the cars would not be able today to bring the pleasure of driving.

 

1902. This year the industrialist Louis Renault patented drum brakes, which have been widely used in all cars for 50 years

15 facts about cars that will surprise and delight you 

French engineer and industrialist revolutionised the development of brake systems of vehicles. Thanks to his invention of the cars has received a further impetus in the development. Also, thanks to drum brakes around the world have decreased the number of accidents (though not for long, because soon the growing number of cars worldwide has inevitably led to an increase in accidents). However, drum brakes have made cars much safer.

 

By the way, drum brakes are still used on many cars. True, most are now only on the rear wheels. Drum brakes differ in that the brake pads unlike the disc brakes are pressed against the internal part of the drum attached to the wheel.

 

1908. Henry Ford introduced the first production car

15 facts about cars that will surprise and delight you 

By optimizing the production process and the creation of the Assembly line Ford was able to significantly reduce the cost of cars, which eventually have become available not only to very rich people. The first serial cars Ford became a bestseller in the world market due to economically justified a reasonable price. So ordinary people had a first opportunity to purchase the car.

 

1911. Charles Kettering was surprised by their enemies, received a patent for an electric self-starting car engines

15 facts about cars that will surprise and delight you 

We are talking about the electric starter to start the engine. The patent was issued on the small and powerful enough starter that enables the engine to start without using the manual starter (mechanical).

Recall that without the electric starter you will have to start the engine using the special key to manually crank the engine. It is not so easy and comfortable.

 

1914. The first electric traffic light that controls the movement of vehicles and pedestrians, was installed on a street corner in Cleveland, Ohio, USA

15 facts about cars that will surprise and delight you 

Before the road around the world was harsh. Including in the US, where every day had a huge number of accidents. Until 1914, pedestrians, horses, trams, cars and cyclists doing on the road all he wanted without following any rules. But with the advent of the first traffic light, the world has changed for the better. Think about it, when you once again stand up, irritated, at the traffic lights where the red light lit.

 

1930. The first car radio was worth incredible money – 110 dollars (now about $ 1,500)

15 facts about cars that will surprise and delight you 

Yes, the first radios in cars were very expensive. But for drivers accustomed to travel without music, it was a fantastic gift. Because that’s the only fun behind the wheel, without which most motorists can not do today.

And who knows what would have turned the history of the world, if in those years they got the idea to equip the car with a miniature radio. However, then about any FM out of the question. The radio worked on AM waves are not in very good monoacetate. But in those years, the owners decided to pay big money for a receiver, was happy until blue in the face.

 

1939. Presented the first car with air conditioning

15 facts about cars that will surprise and delight you 

Despite the fact that the first in Autoworld air conditioning was introduced in 1939, the distribution of cooling air in the cabin received only by the end of the 1960s (and then only in American cars). In European cars the popularity of air conditioning came later. In our country, the air conditioners have only recently appeared in modern domestic vehicles.

 

1951. Power steering for the first time presented in wide industrial production and is becoming more common in the 1950-ies

15 facts about cars that will surprise and delight you 

Hydraulic fluid-assisted steering system facilitates the turning of the wheel. Without power steering the steering wheel you’ve got to get ripped you must have a good to your muscles in the hands can bear large load by rotating the wheel. When was invented the power, it initially was used in rally sports cars, where it was very important to spin the wheel as quickly as possible.

 

1959. Nils Bohlin invented the three-point safety belt, which remains stationary even under load

15 facts about cars that will surprise and delight you 

This belt has saved hundreds of thousands of lives and is considered one of the most significant innovations in the field of motor vehicle safety in the history of the automotive industry. And you agree with that? Or do you not wear? And for good reason.

 

1965. Appeared factory car tape recorder (first receiver)

15 facts about cars that will surprise and delight you 

Despite the fact that in the 1980-th years, this kind of stereos did not last long (it was replaced by a cassette radio), his invention and appearance on production cars in the 1960-ies was the first step towards the development of automotive systems. This revolutionary invention allowed drivers to listen to exactly the music you want and not to settle for what is broadcast on the radio.

So next time when you insert into the USB port in the car the stick or the stick in AUX-input-receiver or tuner headphones, say a little prayer, paying tribute to a distant cousin of today’s radio – 8-track cassette.

 

1973. A group of engineers created the first catalytic Converter (catalyst), which helps to reduce the emission level of harmful substances

15 facts about cars that will surprise and delight you 

Before the advent of catalysts in the automotive industry people are routinely encountered on the road with cars, Smoking like a chimney. Unfortunately, the environmentally friendly emissions of old cars not equipped with catalyst, leaves much to be desired. We do not even know that today would our planet, if in 1973, the talented engineers in the automotive industry came up with the catalyst.

 

1973. Presented the first production car with an airbag for passengers, soon became a worldwide standard in many vehicles of well-known brands

15 facts about cars that will surprise and delight you 

The first production car with a factory airbag was the Oldsmobile Toronado in 1973. Unfortunately, then, in the 70-ies, there was a scandal. The General Motors company was accused of bad airbags, which were discovered in 10,000 cars. In those years officially, there were 7 deaths because of airbags.

In the end, the national authority for road safety USA (NHTSA) has banned to equip serial vehicles with airbags.

The new stage in the development of airbags continued the company Mercedes, which in 1981 has equipped the sedan W126 airbag new generation.

 

1985. Became available for purchase the first production vehicles fitted with standard anti-lock braking system (ABS)

15 facts about cars that will surprise and delight you 

ABS shortens the braking path of the vehicle and helps the driver keep the car under control, keeping the rotation of the wheels and preventing them from locking during braking. The advent of ABS systems in cars is a huge step in the evolution of the car in the direction of increase security.

 

2000. President Clinton signs the bill that allows ordinary citizens to use a satellite navigation system GPS

15 facts about cars that will surprise and delight you 

Since the need for paper maps on the road began to fall as the advent car satellite navigators. And you can imagine a world where you, to find the road to look at a PAPER MAP, knowing which direction to go? Don’t know what it is? If you are young then you do not understand. Ask your parents, they remember what it’s like to drive with paper maps.

 

2001. Hybrid cars are starting to gain popularity around the world

15 facts about cars that will surprise and delight you 

Oh, this modern age. Yes, we live in the 21st century, and from modern technologies we can not escape. Including, how would this not like our powers that be, hybrid cars came to our home world. May, of course, the prevalence of hybrid vehicles is not the same as in the West, but nevertheless the share of such cars in our country is growing steadily. As well as the share of electric cars.

You only think that, more recently, hybrid cars were just a dream but become a reality today. Anyone today can go to the dealership and buy a hybrid car. It’s a pity that such cars on the Russian market once or twice and obchelsya.

15 facts about cars that will surprise and delight you 

As you can see, cars have come a long way in its development. As a result, modern cars have combined the best technologies for more than a century of development of the automotive industry in technology, design, innovation, etc. currently, the evolution of the car continues. Each year in the automotive industry there are new technologies that affect their innovation.

Today there is a feeling that we’re living in the future predicted by futurists and science fiction writers. But no matter how evolved the world, he always will have the history of the automotive industry and the technologies that have been invented by talented engineers and electrical engineers for more than 100 years of development history of automobile industry.