Cars have become an integral part of human life today. They are used everyday by millions of people around the globe. There were estimated 1,000,000,000 (1 billion) cars in 2010, whereas there were only 500 million in 1986. The numbers are continuously on the rise. The maximum number of cars today are found in India and China.
With the advent of technology, people have made different type of cars for various uses. Few of the types of cars available today are sedan, saloon, hatchback, station wagon, minivan, and multi-purpose vehicle. Almost all the cars today run on three major fuels – electricity, petrol and diesel.
Let’s go back in time and see how these cars came into being. How they evolved right from the steam-engine cars in 1769 to driver-less cars that are being experimented on today.
The Timeline
Year: 1672
This was the year when the first steam-powered car was created, however it wasn’t able to carry people and transport. It was designed by Ferdinand Verbiest for the then Chinese emperor.
Year: 1769
The history of cars begin right from 1769 when the first steam-engine car was introduced. This was the first invention which was able to carry people from one place to another.
Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot showcased the first steam-powered artillery tractor. This was however on an experimental basis. But this was the first auto-mobile that could actually carry people and move. His design lacked practicality and hence was not pursued ahead.
Year: 1784
William Murdoch built a functional and practical model of a steam-powered carriage. This was in Redruth – town and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.
Year: 1801
Richard Trevithick started driving a full-sized steam-powered vehicle on the streets of Camborne – town and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. This was the first time an automated-vehicle was being driven on the roads of England.
Year: 1815
Josef Bozek, a professor at Prague Polytechnic, designed and built the first steam car powered by oil.
Year: 1838
Walter Hancock was the founder and operator of London steam buses. He first built a four-seated steam phaeton – a sporty open carriage.
Year: 1873
Many people believe that Amedee Bollee built the first true car in France. His car was a self-propelled steam road car which could carry many people from one place to another.
The first 4-stroke internal combustion engine run by petrol, which is used till date, was first introduced by Nikolaus Otto – a German inventor. Although this technology was patented in 1861 by Alphonse Beau de Rochas, but Otto was the first person to make it functional and working in real life.
The discovery of electric engine was first made by Anyos Jedlik who was an inventor of an electric motor.
Year: Early 1990’s
This was the period when vintage cars, with fully covered hoods, came into existence. Most notable cars of this era are Austin 7, Lancia Lambda, Bugatti Type 35, Hanomag 2/10 PS, Ford Model A, and Cadillac V-16.
The cars in today’s era are much more advanced and improvised from the old days. This has been mainly possible due to the modernization of technology and hardware.
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