Automotive Trivia

Chronological evolution


1782	James Watt builds the first engine crank.
1792	The first U.S. toll roads opened in PA and CT.
1860	Jean Lenoir invents the spark plug.
1887	The Benz became the first car offered for sale.
1896	The Duryea became the first production motor vehicle in the U.S.
1897	The first auto insurance policy is purchased in Westfield, MA.
1900	The first Guide Michelin published mostly containing a list of gas stations in France.
1901	The first Grand Prix race was won with an average speed of 46 mph.
1901	The first American car manufactured in any quantity, the "Curved Dash" Olds is offered for $650.
1913	More than one million cars registered in the U.S.
1914	The Chevrolet bow-tie emblem first appears.
1914	The first electric traffic light was installed in Cleveland.
1923	Powered windshield wipers became standard equipment on many cars.
1923	A radio was first offered as an accessory.
1939	Buick introduces turn signals as standard equipment.
1946	The first power windows were introduced.
1948	Harley Earl introduces the tail fin on the Cadillac. Fins don't go away for over a decade.
1953	Chevrolet introduces its Harley Earl-designed Corvette.
1954	Padded dashboards introduced for safety.
1956	Electric door locks introduced on several luxury models.
1958	The first remote adjusted side view mirror.
1958	Ford introduces the first electric trunk release.
1958	Chrysler introduces the day-night rearview mirror.
1960	All-weather antifreeze plus coolant introduced.
1963	Seat belts first offered as standard equipment.
1965	Rear seat belts became standard on most cars.
1974	National 55 mph speed limit enacted after oil shortages.
1984	Chrysler introduces the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth voyager minivans.
1972	Cars traveled along LA freeways at an average speed of 60 mph. In 1982 the average was only 17 mph!
1974	The average American family spent 33 percent of their yearly income for a new car. In 1995 the average was 50 percent.
1995	The Big Three sold a whopping 97,000 cars in Japan.