Henry Ford started his first automobile company, the Detroit Automobile Company, in 1899. However, his true, successful start to mass-producing cars began with the founding of the Ford Motor Company on June 16, 1903. The pivotal moment that truly revolutionized car manufacturing was the introduction of the moving assembly line in 1913, which led to the first mass-produced car, the Model T, becoming accessible to the average American.
Ford's journey wasn't an overnight success. Before the 1903 founding, he built his first vehicle, the Quadricycle, in a shed behind his home in Detroit in 1896. This was a hand-built prototype, not a production car. His first two automotive ventures, the Detroit Automobile Company (1899) and the Henry Ford Company (1901), failed due to disagreements and his focus on creating a car for the masses rather than a luxury item for the wealthy.
The Ford Motor Company's first product was the Model A, but the car that made history was the Model T, introduced on October 1, 1908. The key innovation was the moving assembly line, implemented at the Highland Park plant in 1913. This process drastically reduced assembly time and cost, cementing Ford's start as not just a car maker, but as the creator of the modern automotive industry.
| Key Milestone | Year | Significance |
|---|
| Quadricycle Built | 1896 | Ford's first self-built vehicle, a gasoline-powered buggy. |
| Detroit Automobile Company Founded | 1899 | Ford's first attempt at a commercial car company; dissolved in 1901. |
| Henry Ford Company Founded | 1901 | Ford's second company; he left and it later became Cadillac. |
| Ford Motor Company Incorporated | 1903 | The successful and enduring company we know today. |
| First Model A Produced | 1903 | The first production car sold by the Ford Motor Company. |
| Model T Introduced | 1908 | The car that "put America on wheels." |
| Moving Assembly Line Introduced | 1913 | Revolutionized manufacturing, slashing Model T assembly time. |
