Skip to main content

Quick History About Automobiles

Quick History About Automobiles

It is hard to say who the first person was that invented the automobile. The first known designer Leonardo de Vinci can date back to the 15th century when he designed transport vehicles. There have been thousands of patents and historians can not agree on what qualifies as the first automobile. What most do not realize, there were several inventors with their own styles and types of automobiles- steam, electric, and gasoline.  
The first steamed-powered road vehicle can be credited to French military engineer Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot in 1769. He built a steamed-powered tricycle meant for hauling artillery but need to recuperate enough time to move after traveling with passengers. He later came up with a second model that weighed almost 10,000 pounds, but this model had a habit of tipping when not hauling artillery.
Karl Friedrich Benz and Gottlieb Daimler are two inventors of the gasoline-powered vehicle. They have been recognized as the true inventors of the type even after not ever meeting. Both men filed their patents on the same day, January 29, 1886, in two different German cities, believe it or not!
It was not soon after that American inventors followed and dominated the industry. Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler emerged by the 1920’s and was known as the “Big Three.” Charles Duryea and his brother Frank designed the first American gasoline automobile in 1893 and won the first American car race two years later. They ended up making their first sale of an American-made gasoline car soon after that win.
Over the years, the auto industry has made it possible for Americans to enjoy outdoor recreation and boosted the growth of tourism also ending rural isolation. This also allowed to development and access to service/gas stations, restaurants, and motels along the roadside. Let's not forget the construction of roads and street as being the largest items of government expenditure.

Williams Group Auto of Abilene


Few inventions have had a profound impact on the world. The automobile has affected several aspects of society including business and the environment. There are many thanks to be given to these inventors with their success that has played throughout history. Williams Group Auto is proud to take part by providing certified pre-owned vehicles to the people of Abilene and the surrounding area. Contact us today and schedule a test drive with one of our professional staff members. You can call 325-793-2500, or you can visit our virtual showroom at www.williamsgroupauto.com to view our entire available inventory.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Classic Automobile Features in You Won't See in Modern Cars

  Classic Features Classic Features in Cars You Won’t See Today Who knows what kids will reminisce about years from now about their first car. Heck, there’s a chance vehicle won’t run on gasoline anymore, and that is something they will look back on and find nostalgic. Vehicles can start with the push of a button on your keychain, you can open the hatchback with the swipe of your foot, and heated seats (my personal favorite) are just a few features you can find in cars today. Here are a few classic features you won’t see today but were the best. Oldies and Goodies One of my favorites, bench seats. For some reason, I always thought they were fun as a kid, but looking back now, I realize how horrible they really were. Being squished between two adults was actually uncomfortable during long rides. I guess as a kid, you feel the front seat was larger than it really was, and sometimes you had it all to yourself- that’s fun. I’m sure several teenage boys took advantage of the seat design...

Distracted Driving

Distracted Driving Distracted driving is a serious concern that kills 9 people every day and injures more than 1,000. It has become one of the country's major concerns, especially now that more drivers are distracted by their phones. But, distracted driving is not only caused by texting while driving. Distracted driving is when the driver is not fully paying attention to the road. They could be messing around with the radio, eating or drinking, grooming themselves, or playing with their pet/kids. Any time your mind is not focused on the road, you are distracted. We all do and think it is no big deal, our eyes were off the just for a few seconds. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, you take your eyes off the road for about 5 seconds to send a text. During that time, you can drive the length of a football field going 55 miles per hour. A lot can happen during that short time. Helpful and Life-Saving Tips This can all be avoided. AAA has a few tips to help us ...

Is the Future Now? Self Driving Cars

  SELF DRIVING CARS Popular Mechanics - If you were like me growing up, the future looked like an episode of The Jetsons. As a kid, I thought the future what going to bring us talking watches, self-cooking ovens that prepare entire meals, closets that dress us at the push of a button, and of course flying cars. Well, we are not that far off. At the moment there is a possibility that we will see self-driving vehicles on our roads. This possibility has been on the horizon for the past few years, as companies like Tesla and Waymo have been focused on bringing autonomous vehicles to the market. In 2017, the U.S. House passed legislation that could accelerate the development of self-driving cars by allowing them to be driven in all 50 states. The Safely Ensuring Lives Future Deployment and Research In Vehicle Evolution Act (SELF DRIVE) exempts automakers from some safety standards that aren't relevant to autonomous vehicles and permits selling up to 25,000 cars per year without needing ...