From Invention to Revolution: Karl Benz and Henry Ford

Introduction

The automobile's history informs of how a, then small, three-wheeled machine has turned into the world’s most used form of transportation. It has improved greatly over the years and has become a vital means of transportation. The automobile has been improved greatly over lots of time by multiple people in order to perfect it. Karl Benz and Henry Ford are the two most famous creators of the automobile. Karl Benz created his three-wheel car, then his four-wheel car. Henry Ford followed up by inventing a newer, improved model and mass-produced it.

Benz and Ford as Automobile Inventors

The inventors of the automobile worked very hard on making their dream a reality. German mechanical engineer Karl Benz designed and built the first practical automobile. Benz lived in Karlsruhe. His three-wheeled Motorwagen, the original, first ran in 1885. His company produced its first four-wheeled car in 1893. Benz never gave a reason for inventing the automobile, but others speculate he created it to revolutionize travel around the globe. Another honorable mention, Henry Ford, in 1903 he established the Ford Motor Company, and five years later the company rolled out the first Model T. In spite of it being new and having multiple difficulties, cars started selling all over, very fast. Ford also created the assembly line to help move the production of cars to a much faster rate. 

Karl Benz: Pioneering the Automobile

Karl Benz, credited as the original creator of the automobile came into this world on November 25, 1844, in Karlsruhe, Germany. His father had been a railroad engineer but sadly died of pneumonia. Benz’s mother brought in very little money for her family so Karl had to step up and take care of his family. Benz always showed such a fascination for technology and earned money by fixing watches and clocks. Benz worked as an assistant for a physics teacher during his time at Karlsruhe Polytechnic. He learned all he knew about engineering there, and soon after he went to work for an engine manufacturer. He had one goal while working at the shop, to make a horseless carriage so he wanted to learn all he could before creating his own company/shop. In 1871 he moved to a pump and wagon business and by 1872, he considered himself to be ready to make his shop.

Henry Ford: Revolutionizing Car Manufacturing

On July 30, 1863, Henry Ford came forth into this world. (Burgan, 3) Growing up, he would take apart his watch and put it back together, people realized he would be special. At 16, Henry left to work at a machinist shipbuilding company in Detroit. In 1890 Ford got hired as an engineer for the Detriot Edison company and earned Chief Engineer. In 1892, he made his first gas-powered buggy, and in 1896, he came out with the Ford Quadricycle. In 1903, he established the Ford Motor Company. Ford put the first Model T out for sale in 1908. His sale had been so big, half the cars in America were Model T’s. He led a great life but sadly died on April 7, 1947. His legacy lives on today through Ford.

The Impact of Automobiles on Society

The original automobile came out in 1885. During this time, the Sino-French War happened, the Mahdist War, and American inventor LaMarcus Adna Thompson patents a roller coaster. (onthisday.com) Henry Ford created his automobile in 1903. (History.com) After Ford moved to Detroit, he created the quadricycle. 'It was considered to be something of a nuisance, for it made a racket and it scared horses. Also, it blocked traffic.' -Henry Ford. Ford, being determined to get it right set out on a path to improve it. There doesn’t seem to be much information on the trials and errors of Ford’s and Benz’s attempts to get the car correct, but it sure took a while. The five things you must have to make a car include chassis, body, paint, interior, and chassis/body mating.

The automobile impacted the world almost as soon as it came out. The invention of the automobile brought more positive and negative effects than any other invention throughout transportation history. The first mass-produced automobile became publicly available in the 1920s. Cars made it immensely easier to travel around the world, they gained fame, yet considered a luxury until they started being mass-produced. The automobile played a major role in the spreading out of the suburbs. It heavily influenced family life and made for a more “mobile” society. (Axleaddict.com)

Conclusion

The automobile surpasses any means of transportation today. There have been multiple deaths by car in the decades it has been available. Today, car engineers strive to make them multiple times safer. They make the roads safer by inventing self-driving cars which can identify danger and help stop the inevitable accidents. (Aceable.com) The invention of cars has brought jobs to many Americans who needed it. The steel industry and machine tool makers also flourished because the automotive industry required supplies and components for the engines.

Works Cited

1. Burgan, Michael, and Ted Hammond. Who Was Henry Ford? Grosset & Dunlap, an Imprint of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, 2014.