Who is the inventor of the automobile?
3 Answers
The inventor of the automobile is Karl Friedrich Benz. Here is the relevant introduction: Introduction: Karl Friedrich Benz (November 25, 1844 - April 4, 1929), one of the founders of the famous German Daimler-Benz automobile company, one of the pioneers of the modern automobile industry, known as the "father of the automobile" and the "originator of the automobile". Birth of the automobile: In 1886, Karl Benz of Germany manufactured the world's first gasoline-powered three-wheeled automobile, which was patented on January 29 of the same year.
It's quite difficult to pinpoint a single inventor of the automobile, but Karl Benz is widely regarded as the father of the car. According to my research, in 1886 he developed the first true automobile—the three-wheeled, gasoline-powered Patent-Motorwagen, which is now displayed in a German museum. But here's the kicker: around the same time, another pioneer, Gottlieb Daimler, built a four-wheeled gasoline vehicle. Even earlier, Frenchman Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot created a steam-powered car in 1769, though it was too cumbersome. Reflecting on it now, automotive progress was truly a relay race of tech visionaries, with each breakthrough building on prior achievements. By the way, at a vintage car exhibition this year, I saw a replica of Benz's original patent documents—those hand-drawn blueprints gave me goosebumps.
Fellow mechanical engineers all know that the invention of the automobile was a systematic project. In 1885, Benz achieved a breakthrough with the single-cylinder four-stroke gasoline engine, but don’t overlook the key points—he solved the differential and electric ignition system. Once, while disassembling an old Mercedes engine, I discovered that the crankcase was cast from aluminum alloy, which was rare at the time. The real core that made cars roadworthy was Maybach’s water-cooling system; otherwise, the engine would overheat in just five minutes. Otto’s internal combustion engine patent laid the foundation, and Daimler’s improved high-speed engine pushed the speed beyond 16 km/h. Reading their experimental notes from back then is particularly fascinating. Benz’s wife even drove the car for a 100-kilometer road test, which finally convinced the public that the automobile wasn’t a devil’s machine.
