Cars? No way! To live without your horse and buggy for 
transportation was unthinkable. A hundred years ago most 
people couldn't grasp how society could ever depend on those
'monstrosities' to do anything but stir up trouble. Now it's
the horse and buggy that is out of style.

The first workable engine is said to have been built by a 
German in 1876. He placed it in a vehicle that eventually 
became the motorcycle of today. And, his vehicle actually 
worked. While others invented gas-powered engines, their 
inventions were only on paper.

Some of the first major problems that beset car developers 
were the lack of availability of fuel, and you couldn't get 
replacement parts by going to a store. Once people finally 
accepted that 'that noisy thing' was here to stay, the 
mechanically minded set out to improve it. Safety was a 
major concern and by about 1900 there were disc brakes. The
overall design was quite impressive when they added fenders.
These were originally intended to protect both the 
passengers and the engines from flying gravel and dust, but 
laid the foundation for unique styling. Seat belts were not 
considered a necessity until around 1950 when the car speeds
were considered 'awesome,' but it was in the '70s and '80s 
that air bags began to be tested. Buick created a 'first' 
by introducing turn signals during the 1930s. 

Having a radio in the car was a luxury that an American, 
Paul Gavin, dreamed up. Other early luxuries included a 
heating system to break the cold. Air conditioning in cars 
didn't happen until the late 1930s, although keeping cool 
was considered a luxury at the beginning. Safety features 
were what counted most.

Trolley cars soon followed the public use of vehicles. One 
thing hadn't been invented yet - a windshield wiper. This 
early necessity for a vehicle was originally patented by a 
woman, Mary Anderson. After observing trolley car drivers 
having to stick their heads out the side windows during the 
rain she obtained the patent for the first manually operated
windshield wiper. 

Every year brought massive changes in design as the 
competition between manufacturers increased. Cars and their 
accessories became more and more sophisticated. AM/FM radios
replaced the older AM radios. These in turn were replaced 
with cassette tape players, CD players, and eight-track tape
players. Speakers were designed to bring sound from every 
direction. Protection from the elements was created by 
enclosing the open cabs of cars and trucks, and then the 
closed space was opened up again with sunroofs, ragtops, and
convertibles. Vivid paint jobs with new shades invented for 
every year became common, along with sleek body designs 
replacing the older squared look.

The imaginations of filmmakers and writers create a major 
influence on what the developers and creators of vehicles 
are expected to come up with. The public almost demands that
cars will soon sprout wings and take off into the blue. 
They will be moving in all directions and perhaps be 
propelled by thought, all while going 500 miles per hour. 
One hundred years ago no one could even imagine where we 
are now, so perhaps the screen writers aren't so far out 
of focus. 

Troy Voitarre is the owner and operator of Found Car, Inc., 
a leading Internet directory for car information and resources. 
For more car and truck information, be sure to visit:
http://www.foundcar.com