Automobiles have so firmly entered our lives that it is almost impossible to imagine existence without them. I’ve collected some interesting stories about the invention of some car parts. But before delving deeper into the history, look at your car’s technical condition and think if you need any car repairs to be implemented shortly. With the current strikes on the US leading automakers factories, the lack of spare parts will be the main problem for the end of the year. To extend the vehicle’s life, do not forget about timely maintenance in a trustworthy car service center.
Excursion in tho the history
Automatic wipers
In 1903, John Upjohn patented a way to clean vertical glass with two brushes moving up and down. A few months later, Mary Anderson invented automatic wipers with an oscillating motion. It took over fifty years before windshield wipers started moving with breaks in between their cycles of motion. This was Robert Kearns’ idea, and was first appropriated by automobile manufacturers, primarily Ford. But a U.S. court, after reviewing the case, awarded Kearns compensation – a total of about $30 million.
Car radio
The first car radio was installed in a Ford. In 1952, a record player (designed by Peter Goldmark) was first put in a Chrysler Windsor. By the mid-1960s, car radios improved with VHF tuners, stereo decoders, and high-quality stereo amplifiers. Pioneer made the first car stereo. They didn’t have compact cassettes at that time, so they used cartridges with 6.25 mm tape. These tapes could hold up to 8 different soundtracks and used a specially designed system to move the magnetic head between them. By the way, if you live in Missouri, you can find a great selection of cars with top-notch audio systems here.
Odometer
In 1763, Benjamin Franklin, while serving as Postmaster General, invented the first simple odometer to determine the best mail delivery route. In 1901, a combined device was installed on the Oldsmobile, counting the distance traveled and measuring the speed of travel. And in 1916 Nikola Tesla patented the speedometer, which design has mostly stayed the same.
Electrical windows
Brose patented mechanical power windows in 1926, and two years later, they started making them in Germany. The USSR invented automatic power windows with a mechanical drive around 1934, and they put them in the cars of top executives. The details of this invention were kept secret, and we still need more information about how they designed it. Daimler, an automobile company, introduced cars with electric window control in 1948.
Sunroof
The Nash Motor Company introduced the idea of a sunroof in one of its 1937 models. French further developed this concept by placing an expansive sunroof at the rear of the body of the 1940 Citroen. This marked the birth of the first hatchback.
Vehicle license plates
As for vehicle license plates, they were first issued in 1893 by the French police. This decision came after they had to search all over Paris for a “steam wagon” that had accidentally hit several geese owned by the chief of the gendarmerie’s mother-in-law.
