When it comes to personal contributions to automotive history, it’s not all about recognizable names like Henry Ford, Karl Benz, Walter P. Chrysler and Horace Dodge. There are plenty of women, too, who have had significant influence over the development of our four-wheeled friends, and in honor of March being Women’s History Month, the Newport Car Museum has provided a look-back on a few of the more interesting innovations and inventions by women that we use and enjoy every day we roll – or zoom – down the road in our favorite car.
Brake Pads – In 1888 Bertha Benz (upper left) not only took the first long-distance road trip in a car her husband developed (with her financing) but also conceived the notion of brake pads when the vehicle’s wooden brakes failed along the way and she asked a cobbler to install leather replacements. (Also in photo, a recreation of the car she drove – the 1886 Benz-Patent Motorwagen – on display in our Museum.)
Signals – In 1914 Florence Lawrence (upper right), known as “the first movie star,” developed a mechanical signalling arm that – at a press of a button – raised or lowered a flag on the car’s rear bumper. This told other drivers which way the car was going to turn. Later she invented a brake indicator, a flap on the rear which read “STOP”, actuated by depressing the brake pedal. (These ideas Lawrence never patented, but others further developed them.)
Windshield Wipers – In 1903, after witnessing trolley drivers in New York City clear snow and rain from their windows by hand, Mary Anderson (lower right) invented a manual lever that operated a wiper from inside the car.
GPS And Wi-Fi – In 1941 Actress Hedy Lamarr (lower left) pioneered the technology that became the basis for today’s WiFi, GPS, and Bluetooth communications systems.
Non-Reflective Glass – In 1938 Katharine Blodgett, the first woman hired by General Electric, used her Ph.D in physics to engineer anti-reflective coatings for glass. Her technology was used not only for car windshields but also for camera lenses, movie projectors, submarine periscopes, eyeglasses, and computer screens.
Car Heaters – In 1893 Margaret Wilcox, a mechanical engineer, invented a system whereby hot air from an engine was channeled back into the cab of a vehicle.
More About the Newport Car Museum
The private collection of over 90 cars, open to the public and representing eight decades of modern industrial design (starting with the 1950s and finishing with new models from the 21st Century), is stunningly displayed in a beautifully restored building that was once Raytheon Technologies’ missile manufacturing facility. It includes favorites for all ages and takes about 90 minutes to enjoy the full experience, which includes a remarkable collection of Mid-Century Modern furniture, award-winning videos, large-format artwork and a gift shop that’s one of the most intriguing on Aquidneck Island.
The Newport Car Museum is handicap accessible and hours are daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets can be bought at the door or online at www.newportcarmuseum.org (401-848-2277). Regular admission: $20/adults; $16/Seniors, Military, Students; $10/Ages 5-12 (with an adult); Free/Ages 4 and under (with an adult)
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