Some of the great features and technologies in your vehicle were developed by women who didn’t like the original method and invented a better solution. To celebrate Women’s History Month, which just took place this past March, we’d like to honor and recognize these brilliant women who are pioneers of the automotive industry. Whether through inventions, technical innovations, courage, or inspiring successes behind the wheel – we present six leading women who had a significant impact on vehicle safety and technology.
Hollywood movie star, Hedy Lamar, invented Bluetooth features.
In the 1940s, silver screen actress Hedy Lamar invented a device that blocked enemy ships from interrupting torpedo guidance signals. The device would make torpedo signals jump from frequency to frequency, making it near impossible for an enemy to locate the message.
This is the same “frequency jumping” technology found in our car’s Bluetooth features, which lets us talk on the phone hands-free or stream our favorite music. Her technology can also be found in cell phones, Wi-Fi, and GPS.
Bertha Benz embarked on the first recorded road trip in 1888.
Bertha, the wife of Carl Benz (founder of Mercedes-Benz), supported her husband’s motorcar concept when no one else would. On August 5, 1888, she took Carl’s prototype Model III without permission, traveling 65 miles to show it off. Bertha is credited as the inventor of brake pads for automobiles.
Katharine Blodgett invented non-reflective glass and
anti-glare windshields.
At just 21 years old, Blodgett, an engineer and scientist, was the first woman to receive a Ph.D. in Physics at Cambridge University in 1921. In 1938, she developed
a liquid soap that, when spread over glass, would allow 99 percent of light to pass through.
After a close call, June McCarrol created the center-line
road separator.
After swerving her Model-T to avoid a head-on collision with a truck, McCarrol painted white lines down the middle of Indio Blvd. in California to create separate traffic lanes. By 1924, the California Highway Commission adopted her idea, painting 3,500 miles of road with a center line separator. Soon after, every state followed suit.
Florence Lawrence went from film star to automobile accessories inventor.
Brake lights and turn signals didn’t exist until silent film actress Florence Lawrence decided to invent them! In 1913, she created a signaling arm to inform other motorists of which direction the driver was headed. She also created a sign that popped up on the back of the car by pressing the brakes that said: “STOP.”
Two women invented the windshield wiper that helps us drive safely in rain and snow.
Mary Anderson was granted a patent in 1903 for a hand-operated windshield wiper. In 1917, Charlotte Bridgwood upgraded the wiper to operate electrically. Cadillac applied the idea to their cars in 1922, with other manufacturers quickly following suit.
