Each November, we gather together to give thanks for different people and blessings in our life while stuffing our faces with turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing, cornbread, pumpkin pie and much more.
At Peruzzi Auto Group, we are thankful for our customers and being able to sell exceptional vehicles at affordable prices. What about you? When driving to work or dropping off your kids at soccer practice, do you often think of what car parts have revolutionized automobiles as we know them today?
Here are five car parts that we all should be giving thanks for this Thanksgiving.
Airbags
One of the biggest improvements to driving safety was made in 1953 when John W. Hetrick received a patent for a safety cushion assembly. Hetrick designed the first prototype for airbags after he and his wife tried to protect their daughter from hitting the dashboard during an accident. That same year, Walter Linderer received a patent for an inflatable cushion. In 1969, federal law made it necessary that each new car had an automatic occupant protection system. Allen K. Breed created the first air bag sensor design for cars in 1968.
Brakes
Imagine a car without brakes. Scary, right? Brakes date back to the days of the Roman Empire, but in 1902, Louis Renault devised an internal drum brake that laid the groundwork for the brakes we use today. During the same year, Frederick Lanchester was granted a patent for a non-electric caliper spot disc braking system.
Car Radio
“I have these thoughts, so often I ought
To replace that slot with what I once bought
‘Cause somebody stole my car radio
And now I just sit in silence”
Twenty One Pilots’ Tyler Joseph is right: Sitting in silence in your car is unnerving and makes your mind wander, bringing up a variety of emotions. The car radio, first called the “Motorola,” was invented by Paul Galvin in 1930. It started out as a monophonic AM radio and then progressed to include capabilities for FM, cassettes, CDs and digital audio capabilities.
Windshield Wipers
Try driving in a downpour without windshield wipers. Seems impossible, right? James Henry Apjohn created the first windshield wipers, which were a mere two brushes that mechanically moved up and down the glass. Mary Anderson improved upon this design two years later with a spring-loaded wiper with a swinging arm. Robert Kearns revolutionized this part by inventing intermittent wipers in 1963. These wipers were based off the human eyelid and how it opens and closes.
Battery
In 1859, Gaston Plante invented the lead-acid battery. It was the first rechargeable battery and used as the basis for our car batteries today. The sealed car battery changed the game in 1971 because it was corrosion-free and didn’t need to be powered by water.
So, when you are tweeting or posting a status on Facebook about what you are thankful for this Thanksgiving (#blessed), give a shout out to the men and women who invented these car parts.
For information about Peruzzi Auto Group’s top-notch vehicles and their quality parts, visit https://www.peruzzi.com/.
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