History of Cars

First Self-Propelled Car

Jan 1, 1769

CugnotNicolas Cugnot develops steam-powered vehicle to carry cannons.

First Horseless Passenger Transport

Jan 1, 1801

http://www.forest-classics.co.uk/trevithick_puffing_devil.htmRichard Trevithick builds first horseless passenger transport, named the "Puffing Devil".

Uphill Struggle

Jan 1, 1824

English engineer, Samuel Brown adapted an old Newcomen steam engine to burn a mixture of oxygen hydrogen gas. He used it to briefly power a vehicle up Shooter's Hill - the highest point in south London.

Coal-Gas Power

Jan 1, 1858

Jean Joseph Étienne Lenoir develops and patents a coal-gas powered engine.

First Speed Limit

Jan 1, 1865

Locamotive Act sets speed limit to 2 mph in city and 4 mph in country.

First Four-Stroke Engine

Jan 1, 1876

Nikolaus August Otto develops first successful four-stroke engine, known as "Otto Cycle".

First Two-Stroke Engine

Jan 1, 1876

Sir Dugald Clerk builds the first successful two-stroke engine.

Internal Combustion

Jan 1, 1886

Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz independently develop internal combustion engines, the same type used today.

First Motor Company

Apr 13, 1889

Rene Panhard and Emile Levassor set up first motor company as first car manufacturers.

First Four-Stroke, Four-Cylinder Engine

Jan 1, 1890

Wilhelm Maybach built the first four-cylinder, four-stroke engine, then later developed the spray-nozzle carburettor.

Gran Prix Racing

Jan 1, 1894

Races quickly evolved from a simple chases from town to town, to organised events like time trials endurance tests for car and driver.
Innovations in engineering soon saw competition speeds exceeding 100 mph.

First Road Traffic Death

Jan 1, 1896

Bridget Driscoll was hit by a passing motor car near Crystal Palace in London. She died from head injuries. The driver, Arthur Edsell, was doing just 4mph at the time. The coroner, returning a verdict of accidental death, said “I trust that this sort of nonsense will never happen again.”