Innovation Timeline
Automotive & EV
From the internal combustion engine to electric drivetrains, regenerative braking, and autonomous driving systems.
Landmark patents
61
Total citations
3,639
Span
1844 – 2025
Milestones
14
1860s
How Elisha Otis Invented the Modern Safety Elevator
An 1861 patent by Elisha Otis describing a mechanism to prevent elevators from falling if their support cables snap.
6 citations
How the Gatling Gun's Rotating Barrel Mechanism Works
Richard Gatling's 1862 patent for a multi-barrel firearm that used a hand-cranked rotating mechanism to fire bullets in rapid succession.
7 citations
George Westinghouse's Original Steam-Powered Train Brake
An 1869 invention by George Westinghouse that used steam pressure to operate train brakes, replacing manual hand-cranked systems with a safer, centralized control mechanism.
1 citation
1880s
Early Roller Coaster Design for Thrill Rides
This 1885 patent describes an early roller coaster structure designed to provide thrilling rides by using gravity and a specific track layout.
How Nikola Tesla Invented the Modern AC Electric Motor
Nikola Tesla's 1888 patent for an induction motor that uses rotating magnetic fields to convert electricity into mechanical motion without needing physical brushes.
1 citation
How the Revolving Door Was Invented
The 1888 patent for the revolving door, designed to keep buildings warm while allowing people to enter and exit easily.
3 citations
1890s
George Selden's 1895 Patent for a Road Engine
George Selden's 1895 patent describes a 'road engine,' a precursor to the automobile, focusing on a combined engine and vehicle design.
How Rudolf Diesel's Engine Works
Rudolf Diesel's 1898 patent describes a highly efficient engine that ignites fuel using the heat generated by compressing air rather than using a spark plug.
10 citations
1900s
Leamon Souder's 1903 Design for a Spiral Escalator
A 1903 patent for a mechanical staircase that moves in a circular, spiraling path to transport people between floors.
17 citations
How Mary Anderson Invented the Windshield Wiper
A 1903 invention by Mary Anderson that allowed drivers to manually clear rain and snow from their windshields using a lever inside the vehicle.
5 citations
John Holland's Design for an Early Submarine Boat
This 1906 patent by John P. Holland describes an early design for a submarine, a vessel capable of traveling underwater, laying the groundwork for modern naval technology.
1910s
How Ole Evinrude Invented the Modern Portable Outboard Motor
A 1911 patent for a compact, detachable marine engine that allowed small boats to be powered by a portable, gasoline-driven propeller unit.
1 citation
Early Car Wheel Traction Device
A 1915 patent for a metal device clamped to a car wheel to improve traction on slippery surfaces.
1920s
A 1920s Design for a Suspended Monorail Transportation System
A 1923 patent by May B. Cornwall describing a structural design for a suspended monorail train system intended for efficient passenger or cargo transport.
7 citations
How Garrett Morgan Invented the Three-Position Traffic Signal
Garrett Morgan's 1923 patent for a T-shaped traffic signal introduced a 'caution' position to manage vehicle flow more safely at busy intersections.
2 citations
1930s
How DuPont Invented Neoprene Synthetic Rubber
A 1934 patent describing the chemical process to turn chlorobutadiene into a durable, oil-resistant synthetic rubber known as Neoprene.
7 citations
The Invention of the Phillips Head Screw
A 1936 patent for a cross-shaped screw head designed to keep a screwdriver centered and prevent it from slipping during high-speed assembly.
8 citations
How the First Coin-Operated Parking Meter Works
Carl Magee's 1935 invention of the mechanical parking meter, which introduced the concept of paying for temporary street parking using a coin-activated timer.
15 citations
1950s
How Early Numerical Control Systems Automated Industrial Milling Machines
A 1952 invention by John Parsons that used punched cards to automatically guide machine tools, effectively launching the era of computer-aided manufacturing.
44 citations
How Eugene Houdry Invented the Modern Catalytic Converter
A 1952 patent for a durable, thin-film catalyst structure that allows gases to flow freely over reactive surfaces, forming the foundation for modern vehicle exhaust systems.
55 citations
How the Float Glass Process Makes Perfectly Flat Window Panes
This 1954 patent describes the float glass process, a method for creating high-quality, perfectly flat glass by floating molten glass on a bath of liquid metal.
53 citations
How George Devol Invented the First Industrial Robot Arm
The 1954 patent for the Unimate, the first digitally controlled robotic arm that could be programmed to move objects in a factory.
93 citations
How the Wankel Rotary Engine Works
A 1957 invention by Felix Wankel that replaces heavy, moving pistons with a triangular rotor spinning inside a chamber to create power.
45 citations
How the Modern Three-Point Car Seatbelt Works
The foundational 1959 patent for the three-point seatbelt, which secures both the torso and lap to prevent injury during vehicle collisions.
17 citations
1960s
How Joseph-Armand Bombardier Designed the Modern Snowmobile
A 1962 patent by Joseph-Armand Bombardier describing a lightweight, engine-driven vehicle using an endless track system for travel over snow.
30 citations
How Intermittent Windshield Wipers Work
Robert Kearns' 1967 patent for the first electronic intermittent windshield wiper system that mimics the human eye's blinking motion.
23 citations
How Hovercrafts Use Flexible Skirts to Ride on Air
This patent describes a gas-cushion vehicle, or hovercraft, that uses a specific arrangement of flexible walls to contain a cushion of pressurized gas and separate foreign matter from the escaping air.
2 citations
How Early Vehicle Airbag Safety Systems Work
A 1968 patent describing an early vehicle safety system that uses a rapidly inflating confinement to protect passengers during a collision.
26 citations
1970s
The Molecular Structure of Kevlar High-Strength Fiber
Stephanie Kwolek's 1971 patent for DuPont describing the molecular alignment and manufacturing of extremely strong, lightweight synthetic aramid fibers, which became famous as Kevlar.
141 citations
Weapon That Shoots Wires to Deliver Electric Shocks
This 1974 patent describes a weapon that fires projectiles carrying wires to deliver incapacitating electric shocks to a target from a distance.
152 citations
Making Strong, Porous PTFE: The Gore-Tex Process
This patent describes a specific process for rapidly stretching a highly crystalline form of PTFE plastic to create a strong, porous material with a unique internal structure, forming the basis for products like Gore-Tex.
1,364 citations
1990s
Boosting Fuel Cell Power for Vehicles Using Oxygen Injection
A system that boosts a vehicle's fuel cell power by injecting pure oxygen into the air supply when the engine needs extra energy.
90 citations
How a Modern Camera Sensor Captures Light and Converts It to Data
This patent describes a camera sensor technology that combines light-capturing elements with a special circuit to read out the image data quickly and efficiently, all on a single chip.
620 citations
How the QR Code Works
The 1995 patent by Toyota Central R&D Labs that invented the QR code, using three distinct corner squares with a unique 1:1:3:1:1 pixel ratio to let scanners instantly find and read the code from any angle.
250 citations
How Car Windows Use Special Coatings to Balance Privacy and Visibility
A patent for automotive glass that uses a specific combination of tinted glass and multi-layered coatings to keep the inside private while ensuring the driver can see out clearly.
7 citations
How Self-Balancing Vehicles Warn Users Before They Tip Over
A safety system for self-balancing vehicles that monitors how much 'room' the machine has left to accelerate before it loses its ability to stay upright.
172 citations
2000s
How Car Battery Modules Combine High and Low Voltage Systems
A self-contained battery module that houses both high and low voltage batteries, a power converter, and safety switches in a single unit designed for efficient heat management.
46 citations
How Devices Predict Your Next Move Using Gestures and History
A patent for a smart interface that tracks your physical gestures and past habits to predict what you want to do next, showing custom options on a screen to save you time.
34 citations
How Remote Devices Prove They Have Not Been Tampered With
A system for a remote device to prove to a central server that its internal security processes are running correctly without exposing sensitive raw data.
2010s
How Electric Cars Safely Pause Charging When You Want to Unplug
A system for electric vehicles that safely pauses power flow when a driver signals they want to disconnect the charging cable, preventing electrical arcing or damage.
1 citation
How Screens Change What They Show Based on Your Hand Distance
A method for changing the menu options shown on a screen depending on how close or far away your hand is hovering above it.
3 citations
How Vehicles Send Data Without Revealing Who Is Driving
A system that separates a driver's personal identity from vehicle performance data by sending them to a server in separate, disconnected communication sessions.
How to Use Air-Gaps to Insulate High-Voltage Semiconductor Chips
A design for semiconductor chips that uses empty air-filled trenches to provide better electrical insulation for high-voltage transistors without needing complex filling materials.
How Titan Trailers Builds Stronger, Smoother Cargo Containers
A design for a cargo trailer shaped like a rounded tube made from flat and curved aluminum panels that are welded together to create a smooth, unobstructed interior.
3 citations
How Airport Vehicles Automatically Park Safely Next to Airplanes
A smart navigation system that helps airport service vehicles like catering trucks park safely at aircraft doors by identifying targets and avoiding restricted zones.
How Computers Train AI Models Using Separate Virtual Simulations
This patent describes a system where one virtual computer runs simulations of a system, like a robot, and another virtual computer uses the simulation data to teach an AI model how to make better decisions.
13 citations
Nvidia's Method for Training Self-Driving Car AI in Simulations
Nvidia's 2022 patent describes how to train AI for self-driving cars by using simulated environments and virtual sensors, then matching the simulated data format to real-world sensor data for AI processing.
17 citations
How Mobile Cranes Power Their Upper Parts Using The Lower Base
A design for mobile construction cranes that moves the power generator to the base while keeping the control electronics separate and protected.
2020s
How Autonomous Cars Process Sensor Data for Driving
Intel's 2020 patent describes a system for autonomous vehicles that cleans and standardizes data from various sensors before using it to perceive the environment and make driving decisions.
72 citations
How a Battery Automatically Disconnects Itself During Overheating
A safety system for battery packs that uses a heat-sensitive material to physically break the electrical connection between cells if they get too hot, preventing thermal runaway.
How AI Automatically Labels Images and Checks Its Own Work
A method for training AI to label images by calculating how uncertain it is about its own predictions, allowing it to verify its accuracy without human help.
1 citation
How Rohm Designs Compact Semiconductor Packages for Better Heat Management
A semiconductor packaging design by Rohm that arranges multiple chips and specific lead terminals to optimize space and thermal performance in electronic devices.
How Delivery Drones Self-Calibrate and Pass Safety Checks Before Takeoff
A system for automated drone maintenance stations that check if a drone is safe to fly by verifying its GPS, weight, and physical condition without human help.
9 citations
How Bicycle Racks Keep Their Lights Visible While Moving
A bicycle rack that keeps its lights pointed backward whether the rack is folded up against the car or lowered to carry bikes.
1 citation
Automated AI for Adapting to New Data Without Retraining
This patent describes an automated system that builds artificial intelligence models capable of adapting to new, different data without needing full retraining, by learning to ignore irrelevant changes.
46 citations
How Vehicle Radar Systems Correct Phase Errors for Better Object Detection
A radar system for cars that switches between two modes with different pulse speeds to fix phase errors, helping the vehicle more accurately track the direction and speed of objects.
How to Adapt Existing Motors to Power New Equipment
A mechanical adapter system that lets you connect an existing motor's spinning shaft to a new, secondary machine like a generator or pump.
How an Auxiliary Controller Manages Supplemental Fuel Injection
A method for an add-on computer to calculate and control extra fuel injection by piggybacking on data from a car's original engine computer.