Vuillier 1

Chris Vuillier

English IV

Mrs. Day

18 April 2017

The Evolution Of The Automobile

Automobiles have been around since as early as 1769, when the first steam engine

powered automobiles were produced (Vikas). Most people credit Henry Ford with the invention

of the automobile in the late 1800s, early 1900s. This is, in fact, not true. Henry Ford simply

made the automobile more affordable and more readily available through improved production

techniques. Since that time, there have been many major advancements made to improve the

power of automobiles, the distance they can travel, the safety of the passengers, and the impact

on the environment. Now, there are prototypes of flying cars as well as some other intricate

futuristic changes to look forward to.

The first introduction to the automobile was in 1769 designed by Nicholas Joseph Cugnot,

invented in France. At the same time, Americans fell in love with the bicycle. With the variation

of two seats, it eventually developed up to ten seats. The bicycle set the stage for the automobile,

as it was easy to get around. Although the automobile was a new advancement, it was not really

an efficient way of travelling. Reasons why it was not an efficient way of travelling is because

the top speed was four kilometers (2.5 miles) per hour, lasting about fifteen minutes before

needing to reheat and build pressure up to go again. It also was not very safe, given that there

was not any brake system engineered into the machine. (Capaya)
 Vuillier 2

On January 1st in 1832, inventor Robert Davidson built the electric locomotive. The top

speed of this automobile was four miles per hour. These types of electric automobiles used a type

of battery that has to be recharged. This battery powered a small electric motor which powered

the automobile. These vehicles were really heavy, expensive and slow.

In 1860, Jean Joseph tienne Lenoir invented a two stroke internal combustion engine.

This type of engine was triggered by an electrical spark ignition fueled by coal gas.

The first available automobile to the public was manufactured by Karl Benz and his

brother in Germany in 1885, which was considered the first practical automobile. Karl Benz

then received a patent from the United states government on January 29th 1886. To most people,

the patent on Karl Benzs automobile was considered to be the birthday of the automobile.

The structure of the first automobiles were made up of a platform on four wheels, a

steering device, a seat, and an engine.

Charles Duryea and his brother Frank Duryea are both the inventors of the first gasoline

powered automobiles. They are also the founders of the Duryea Motor Wagon Company. In 1896

Frank & Charles produced thirteen identical automobiles in their garage by hand. They were the

first ones to mass produce automobiles.

Advancements over the century included the additions of covers over the engines for

safety reasons. It mainly kept out the fingers and hands of curious kids. Also, the covers on the

engine could help decrease fumes, pollution, noise, and unpleasant gasoline odors. By now,

headlights were also added to aid drivers at night to see the roads and to help with fog.

Ransom Eli Olds, was the founder of the Olds Motor Vehicle Company. Olds introduced

his first gasoline powered automobile in 1896. In 1901, Ransom designed the Curved dash

Oldsmobile and these automobiles were mass produced on an assembly line in the United States
 Vuillier 3

in Detroit. The newly produced Curved Dash automobiles were priced at $650.00.

Unfortunately, the factory was destroyed by a fire in 1901. They still managed to sell over 600

models of the Curved Dash model. Only one of the models were saved from the fire, and re -

produced the cars by using parts from the model that was saved from the fire. (Ransom E. Olds)

In 1904, the first wind screens appeared which kept out the wind and any other unwanted

dust and debris out of the drivers and passengers face. The interior had some major

advancements too, such as the Roy De Ville coachwork which was taken from an automobile

from the king of Belgium at the time. Most automobiles by this time had two seats in the front,

and three seats in the back. The entrance to the back seats were through the rear of the

automobile. The exterior had some major advancements also. Most accessories were outside of

the passenger compartment, under the floor, even the gear shifts and the brakes as well as boxes

for storage purposes.

In 1909, automobiles had huge advancements as well. There were 290 different makes and

models of the automobiles that were produced in 45 states, and a grand total of 145 different

cities throughout the United States. Detroit was established as the automotive center of the

United States. It had 25 makes, and 45 in total in michigan. The interior advanced extensively

too. There were speedometers, sliding transmissions and shock absorbers. This all contributed to

the overall weight and size of the automobile, which required bigger engines so it could have

more power.

Many strange and marvelous attempts were executed to try and change & shape the

automobile. Milton Reeves designed and developed a car that had 8 wheels. He felt that 8 wheels

were better than 4, and that it was more safer for the public to drive. Others experimented with

size, such as the 1911 Olds Limited, which had wheels with 43 inches in diameter. This is
 Vuillier 4

preferably the largest wheels ever used on an automobile in history. Some manufacturers tried

steam, gasoline, electricity and sometimes combined them. The woods gas - electric was an

automobile built by the Woods Motor Vehicle Company of Chicago, and was the first hybrid to

ever be developed. Because gas engines provided more power, but we're rough, and electric cars

ran smoother, but had limited range, they wanted to provide an automobile that would give you

the best of both sides.

By 1925, the 25 millionth automobile was produced. At this time there were 1 automobile

for every 7 Americans in the United States. Advancements in this year included ; one piece

windshields, mohair upholstery, crank type window levers, synthetic quick drying paint. The

quick drying paint gave the industry a wide range of high gloss finishes. Due to these changes,

more closed than open automobiles were sold.

In the year of 1927, Henry Ford brought out his model A. This model A featured new

advancements. The roof, doors and windshields grew together to make it more reliable and

sturdy. Corners begun to be rounded off, compound curves appeared in the fenders and the

corners of the roof and around the headlights. By 1927, Henry Ford has manufactured over 15

million Model Ts. Assembly lines made it possible for a single model to be manufactured in

ninety-three minutes.

Duesenberg Motors Company was an American automobile manufacturer founded by

Frederick Duesenberg in 1913. The J model was manufactured in 1929 with an impressive 265

horsepower, along with the SJ model which had 320 horsepower. These models had the greatest

horsepower at the time.

The early 1930s was the time of which manufacturers were testing out different engine

with multiple cylinders. For example Cadillac Motor Car Division owned by General Motors
 Vuillier 5

(GM) introduced the V16 engine in 1930. The Packard Motor Car Company manufactured the

Packard Custom which had 12 cylinders. The 1912 Lincoln had a V12 engine also along with the

1933 Chrysler Imperial LeBaron which had 8 cylinders.

By 1949, most automobile manufacturers eliminated the fender forms. Cars begun to have

straight through body sides. Consumer demands of automobiles spurred the engineering and

stylists to further advancements in automotive design. The hypoid rear axle off-centered the

drive shafts below the axle. The independent front wheel suspension was introduced in 1934.

These improvements drastically changed the proportions of the automobile. Without the beam

axle, the engine could move forward and down in the middle of the front wheels. Other

improvements on the automobile included slanting the windshields which first appeared on the

Rio Royale in 1931.

In between the years 1935 and 1939, The automotive stylists made drastic changes and

improvements on the exterior, the pointed grill, the fastback roofs, the elimination of running

boards, also the spare tire moved into the trunk of the car, headlights that were flared outwards

were now dissolved into the fender, the hood moved out and over the radiator, the fenders were

elongated and flattened.

In the early 60s there was a rose of concern in safety of the automobiles, and concern of

the environment. safety features were added to the automobile, such as dual braking systems,

factory installed seat belts, amber colored lights for turn signals and steering columns which

absorbed energy. Emission control requirements caused a general lowering of horsepower in

1971. This is because the models had to meet government regulations in safety and emission

controls for the environment, and reduce the pollution in the air. Other safety features were

added to the automobile in 1973 which were front and rear bumpers. Although these bumpers
 Vuillier 6

weren't really sustainable against a high speed crash, it helped withstand a five mile per hour

crash in the front, and a two and and half mile per hour crash in the rear.

The worldwide increases in the usage of energy, continues to make the conservation of our

natural resources, a primary consideration in car design. Weight reduction plays a major role in

producing pollution, the larger and heavier the automobile is, the lower the gas mileage will be.

Engineers and designers started producing cars and car parts out of aluminum and plastics. Also,

new types of seats were arranged, in an attempt to decrease the weight on the automobile.

More developments included computers and structural analysis systems. Electronics and the

techniques of miniaturization that were developed in the space program, reduced the size of

electrical components.

1997 was the year that manufacturers went green as automobiles used more than one fuel

source. Manufacturers begun to realize that the oil reserves in the future will dry / run out. Honda

and Toyota produced the first petrol - electric automobiles. The hybrid was introduced to the

Japanese market before they released the automobiles in America and Europe in 2002.

Another major change was when Henry Ford introduced the active park assist and rear

cameras. The park assist uses a sensing system and an electric power assisted steering which

helps you to position the automobile for parallel parking and to help steer into a parking spot.

Some drastic future advancements are already put into action. Such as the cruise control

that uses a radar system, in which it uses a radar to match the speeds of the traffic ahead. A 360

degree camera is being introduced also. This allows a look of the area around your automobile,

and to scope out the area for possible wrecks and things you can hit and damage your car.

(Hunting)
 Vuillier 7

From start to finish, the automobile has changed dramatically. All the way from a steam

powered automobile with no brakes, that went a total of 2.5 miles per hour, to self driving cars

which have a plethora of safety features which will aid the driver on his journey to wherever he

may go.

Works Cited

Armytage, Walter Harry Green. "Oliver Evans." Encyclopdia Britannica. Encyclopdia

Britannica, Inc., 04 Dec. 2009. Web. 18 Apr. 2017.

<https://www.britannica.com/biography/Oliver-Evans>
 Vuillier 8

Capayas, Mark Leofe, and Nick D. "1769 Cugnot Steam Tractor | Review." Supercars.net N.p.,

13 May 2016. Web. 18 Apr. 2017. <https://www.supercars.net/blog/1769-cugnot-steam-

tractor/>.

History.com Staff. "Automobiles." History.com A&E Television Networks, 2010. Web. 18 Apr.

2017.

"Ransom E. Olds." R.E. Olds Foundation. R.E. Olds Foundation, 2017. Web. 18 Apr.

2017.http://www.reoldsfoundation.org/ransom-e-olds

https://www.thehenryford.org/explore/stories-of-innovation/visionaries/henry-ford/

Berman, Brad. "History of Hybrid Vehicles." HybridCars.com Disqus, 03 Dec. 2015. Web. 18 Apr.

2017. <http://www.hybridcars.com/history-of-hybrid-vehicles/>.

Evans, Paul. "Ford to Introduce Active Park Assist in 2009." New Atlas - Latest News. GIZMAG PTY

LTD 2017, 1 Jan. 2009. Web. 18 Apr. 2017.

<http://newatlas.com/ford-to-introduce-active-park-assist-to-automate-parallel-parking-in-

2009/10642/>

Benjamin Hunting "3 Car Technology Advancements Coming in 2017." NAPA Know How Blog.

GIZMAG PTY LTD 2017, 06 Apr. 2017. Web. 18 Apr. 2017.

<http://knowhow.napaonline.com/3-car-technology- advancements-coming-2017/>

"Changing Architecture of the Motor Car - the History." YouTube. GM Photographic, 31 Jan. 2013.

Web. 18 Apr. 2017. <https://youtu.be/m3NqWgkNO5U>.