Technology Timeline

  • Henry Ford

    Henry Ford
    Henry Ford's first vehicle rode on four bicycle wheels and was powered by a four-horsepower engine.Instead of a steering wheel, the Quadricycle had a tiller. The gearbox had only two forward with no reverse.
  • Henry Ford

    Henry Ford
    Henry Ford joins a group that founds the Detroit Automobile company. Ford leaves company within one year.
  • Henry Ford

    Henry Ford
    Ford designed the 26-horsepower Sweepstakes and defeated Alexander Winton's 70-horsepower Bullet in 10 laps around the one-mile oval of the Detroit Driving Club. The victory lead to Henry Ford's second short-lived attempt at auto manufacture, the Henry Ford Company.
  • Henry Ford

    Henry Ford
    Ford's innovation eventually reduced the Model T's chassis assembly line from 12.5 hours to 1.5 hours, and in doing so precipitated a revolution in manufacturing. The accelerating speed with which Ford could produce cars helped him continue to lower the price of a Model T.
  • Henry Ford

    Henry Ford
    Ford produces the first truck. The Ford Model TT was a truck based on the Model T car, but with a reinforced chassis and rear axle. This early pickup was rated at one ton.
  • Henry Ford

    Henry Ford
    Edsel Ford created Mercury cars to bridge the gap between affordable Fords and luxurious Lincoln cars. The first Mercury was the 1939 Mercury 8, which had the V8 engine and a stylish body characteristic of Edsel Ford's design sense.