Turning the Wheels of Technology: Hybrids, Electric Cars, and Eight Other Automotive Technology Breakthroughs

Here are some of the most important automotive discoveries that shaped the industry and produced the high-tech vehicles we know today.

Humble Beginnings

The very first recognizable cars date back further than you may think. In 1769, a French inventor, Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot, created a three-wheeled vehicle that was intended to tow artillery. A steam-powered car, the vehicle was extremely innovative, using a piston and ratcheted differential to propel itself.

Making Its Debut With a Bang

In 1885, the first practical car with an internal combustion engine hit the road. Invented by Karl Benz, the Patent-Motorwagen may look simple, but its influence was far reaching. Karl's wife, Bertha, took the car on the world's first road trip, from Mannheim to Pforzheim and back, a distance of 121 miles.

Electricity Meets Combustion

You might be surprised to know that the first hybrid car predates the Toyota Prius by 97 years. Coachmaker Jacob Lohner wanted a cleaner way to power his luxury coaches, so he turned to Ferdinand Porsche, who had created an electric motor that was small enough to fit inside a car's wheels. One of Lohner's coaches was fitted with two of these motors, and the Lohner-Porsche hybrid was born.

Going All-Electric

The idea of powering a car with electricity had been around since the early 19th century, but it was a Scottish chemist, William Morrison, who invented the electric car. In 1891, Morrison obtained a patent for his invention, created in his Des Moines lab. Electric cars were even more popular in 1900 than they are today, with 28 percent of cars produced that year being all-electric.

Rise of the Compacts

The Suez Crisis in the mid-50s brought with it increased oil prices in Europe, leading to a fall in the sale of full-sized cars. Instead of these hulking machines, what consumers needed were small cars that were still reliable enough for everyday driving. These came in the shape of the original Fiat 500 in 1957 and the Mini in 1959. Both of these cars could seat four people and carry their luggage, leading to a revolution in car design.

Anti-lock Brakes

It's easy to forget, unless you drive a classic car, just how infuriating and dangerous old-fashioned brakes can be. If your wheels lock, then you can go into uncontrolled skids, putting you and your passengers in danger. An American invention, the first ABS systems came fitted on the 1971 Chrysler Imperial. The Imperial's new brakes were designed to allow the driver better steering control in the event of an emergency stop and were extremely effective.

Driving on All Four Wheels

Four-wheel drive systems were long confined to SUVs and other off-road vehicles, leaving sedan drivers stuck should the weather turn bad. It wasn't until 1980 that Audi released the Quattro, the first permanent four-wheel drive sedan. As well as providing handling and safety benefits in bad weather, the system also allowed the Quattro to storm to victory in several rally championships.

Hello, Smart Keys

The executive car experience wouldn't be the same today without keyless entry. It seems like those small fobs have been around forever, but this tech is very recent. The first example of such a system, developed by Siemens, came on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class in 1998.

Charging Made Easy

Although Ferdinand Porsche may have invented the hybrid, and the Toyota Prius may have pioneered it, the technology was taken to another level by the introduction of plug-in hybrids. The very first mass-produced hybrid was the BYD F3DM, a project backed by Warren Buffett, which was released in China in 2008.

Harnessing Hydrogen Power

Hydrogen has long been considered a possible replacement for gasoline, but it wasn't until 2008 that the technology became commercially available on the Honda FCX Clarity, followed by the Hyundai Tuscon FCEV and Toyota Mirai. Although this technology has yet to gain major ground, it offers the advantages of five-minute refuels and zero emissions.

What’s your favorite automotive innovation highlighted here? Let us know the car technology you can’t live without by tagging us on Twitter.