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Automobiles have evolved significantly since Karl Benz unveiled the first car in 1885. (Although Karl Benz didn't technically invent the car, we’ll explain that in a bit.) Many features we now consider standard in modern vehicles were initially non-existent. For example, the earliest cars lacked steering wheels or roof coverings. Drivers often found themselves swallowing flies while navigating dusty roads.
Even the world of automobiles wasn't exempt from oddities. For instance, the first person ever arrested for speeding was caught at just 19 kilometers per hour (12 mph), pursued and detained by a policeman riding a bicycle.
Here are 10 fascinating firsts in the world of automobiles.
10. The First Driver to Be Arrested for Speeding Was Going 12 Miles Per Hour
On May 20, 1899, 26-year-old Jacob German became the first person ever to be arrested for speeding in a motor vehicle. Officer John Schuessler, known as 'The Scorcher’s Terror,' had earned a reputation for pursuing and apprehending speeders, whether they were driving horse-drawn carriages or riding bicycles, in the streets of Manhattan.
German was employed by the Electric Vehicle Company, a taxi service boasting an entirely electric fleet. He was traveling at 19 kilometers per hour (12 mph) when Officer Schuessler of the Bicycle Squad in New York spotted him. At the time, New York law prohibited drivers from going faster than 13 kilometers per hour (8 mph) on regular roads and 6 kilometers per hour (4 mph) when making turns.
Schuessler pursued German’s car on his bicycle and arrested him for breaking the speed limit. Reporting on the event, The New York Times described German's speed as 'breakneck' and 'recklessly fast.' Although he wasn't issued a speeding ticket, German did spend some time behind bars.
9. The First Speed Limit Was Established at 12 Miles Per Hour
In May 1901, Connecticut set the first-ever speed limit for motor vehicles at a modest 19 kilometers per hour (12 mph) within city limits and 24 kilometers per hour (15 mph) on highways. Although this was regarded as the first speed limit, it wasn't the first regulation of speed. For example, a law in New York from 1652 prohibited galloping horse-drawn carriages.
Originally, speed limits were intended for horse-drawn carriages, not motor vehicles. When automobiles arrived, they simply followed the same speed restrictions. However, the law in Connecticut specifically targeted motor vehicles. While 19 kilometers per hour (12 mph) may seem slow, it was actually a higher limit than it could have been.
Robert Woodruff, the legislator who proposed the speed limit, initially recommended a limit of 13 kilometers per hour (8 mph) in the city and 19 kilometers per hour (12 mph) on highways. The limit was ultimately raised to 19 kilometers per hour (12 mph) in the city. Drivers were also advised to slow down or even stop if they encountered a horse-drawn carriage, as the state didn’t want to frighten the horses.
8. The First Steering Wheel Was Introduced in 1894
Nearly a decade after Karl Benz introduced the world's first automobile, Alfred Vacheron invented the steering wheel in 1894. Prior to that, vehicles were steered using tillers.
The tiller, which functions similarly to a boat's control, was turned left to steer the vehicle left and right to steer it right. This method was chosen because early automobiles were modeled after horse-drawn carriages, where reins were used to guide the horses. Engineers simply adapted this same mechanism for cars.
The invention of the steering wheel did not make driving easy, as cars lacked power steering. However, since early cars used smaller bicycle-sized tires, steering wasn’t as challenging as it would be in modern vehicles without power steering, which was developed by Francis W. Davis in the 1920s.
Power steering only became commonplace after World War II when it was widely adopted by the U.S. military for use in their vehicles.
The first fatal car accident occurred long before the invention of the car itself.
While Karl Benz is credited with inventing the motor car in 1885, the first fatal motor accident actually took place nearly two decades earlier, in 1869. How could that happen?
Although Benz created the first reliable gasoline-powered car (the Benz Patent Motorwagen), he was not the first to make a car. People had been driving steam-powered locomotives long before. Mary Ward tragically died on August 31, 1869, when she was riding in one of these steam-powered vehicles.
Ward was traveling through County Offaly, Ireland, with her husband and three other men when the vehicle took a sharp turn. She was thrown in front of it and tragically run over. The jury ruled her death an accident, and no one was held accountable.
The first electric car was created in 1834, long before the cars we know today.
It might sound surprising, but electric cars existed before what we recognize as the first car. Thomas Davenport built the world's first electric car in 1834, a full decade before Karl Benz, who would later create the first gasoline-powered car in 1885, was even born in 1844.
Davenport aimed to replace the steam locomotives of his time with his electric vehicle. He built his own battery and motor, which he integrated into the car. However, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) refused to grant him a patent for the motor, as they could not comprehend how it functioned.
While it may seem humorous now, this response was understandable back then. The USPTO had never approved a patent for an electric device. Though Davenport eventually received his patent, the electric car never became popular due to the unreliability of its battery.
Although Thomas Davenport is widely credited as the inventor of the electric vehicle, some claim that Robert Anderson from Scotland actually created the first electric car. However, he cannot be considered the true inventor, as the exact date of his car's creation remains unknown—ranging anywhere between 1832 and 1839.
The car radio made its debut in 1922.
What would cars be without radios? In 1922, Chevrolet introduced the first car radio, and getting it to be accepted as a standard feature was quite a challenge. It wasn't easy to make it a regular part of cars.
Initially available as an optional feature, the car radio cost $200. Its antennas were enormous, covering the entire roof, and the battery was so large that engineers struggled to fit it under the seats. The car had only two speakers located behind the seats. Car radios wouldn't become a standard feature until the 1930s.
An anti-car radio movement quickly emerged, arguing that radios would distract drivers or even make them drowsy. In response, Massachusetts and St. Louis introduced proposals to ban radios in vehicles. However, the Radio Manufacturers Association defended car radios, claiming they helped keep drivers alert and could provide valuable news on road conditions and weather.
The concerns about radios were understandable at the time, as early cars were difficult to handle. Drivers had to manage a range of buttons, levers, and gauges, which already made driving a challenge. Adding a radio could have made the driver even more distracted.
An electric car was involved in the first fatal car accident in the United States.
Sixty-nine-year-old Henry H. Bliss became the first person to be killed by a car in the United States. And, perhaps surprisingly, the vehicle involved was an electric car.
On September 13, 1899, Henry H. Bliss had just stepped off a trolley and was helping a lady when he was struck by a car. Although he survived the incident, his injuries were severe, and he passed away the following day. The taxi involved was owned by the Electric Vehicle Company, the same company whose driver had previously been arrested for speeding.
Bliss was struck near 74th Street and Central Park West in New York City. This area had gained a reputation for accidents, with trolley drivers even dubbing it the 'dangerous stretch.' However, none of the accidents had been fatal until Bliss's. Interestingly, New York had more electric cars than gasoline-powered ones at the time. Electric cars were favored for being quieter, easier to drive, and free from toxic fumes.
The first closed car was created in 1905.
Early cars were designed with open tops, similar to horse-drawn carriages. As we mentioned earlier, these first vehicles were meant to resemble horse-drawn carriages. This meant that early drivers were exposed to the elements—rain, snow, sunlight, and dust. Drivers often swallowed flies and were covered in dust as they drove.
When drivers could no longer tolerate the weather, they would park their cars under trees or use covers. This all changed in 1905, when Cadillac introduced the first closed car. It was offered as an option for those who could afford it. Many Americans quickly embraced the closed top and paid extra for the upgrade. By 1910, Cadillac made closed tops standard in its cars.
In true fashion, people soon began to change their minds about closed tops. While dust, rain, and flies were an issue, the open tops were seen as cooler and more stylish. By the 1920s, car manufacturers began removing roofs again, but this time they designed cars with a removable roof, allowing the driver to choose when to use it. These cars were known as convertibles.
The earliest cars featured white tires.
The color of tires may seem like a constant among today’s cars—every one of them is black. But this wasn’t always the case. When car tires were first invented in 1895, they were plain white because they were made from natural white rubber. Over time, however, the tires would turn black as they absorbed soot from the car’s exhaust.
Manufacturers soon discovered that the soot made tires more durable. Since they couldn't directly harvest soot for tire production, they turned to another material with similar qualities: carbon black. This made tires stronger and provided protection against UV rays and ozone, while also helping to dissipate heat from the vehicle.
However, there was a trade-off. The use of carbon black caused the tires to turn black.
The first flying car was created in 1932.
Although the concept of the flying car is still a work in progress, the first one was made in 1932 by Waldo Waterman. He named it the Waterman Arrowbile and built five prototypes before halting production.
In 1932, Waterman created the first prototype of his flying car, a three-wheeled vehicle with wings, which he named Whatsit. He later built an improved version in May 1935 for a flying car competition organized by the US Department of Commerce.
The May 1935 prototype couldn't be driven like a regular car. However, this setback only fueled Waterman’s determination. He founded his company, Waterman Arrowplane Co., and developed another prototype that could both drive like a car and fly. The wings and propeller could be removed when the vehicle was used on land.
Even though Waterman created more prototypes that could drive and fly, the idea of a flying car didn't capture the public's imagination at the time. By 1938, he closed his company.
