The First: 1886-1888

1886: The Motorwagen

With German patent #37435 in hand, Carl Benz was the proud inventor of the three-wheeled, self-propelled Motorwagen with a rear-mounted single-cylinder engine.

1888: Bertha Benz Takes a Drive

While her husband was hesitant to test his vehicle on the road, wife Bertha Benz took her sons on the first long-distance drive from Mannheim to Pforzheim, Germany. While on the 57-mile journey, Bertha made various repairs and improvements to the Motorwagen.

Performance: 1901-1931

1901: The Honeycomb Radiator

The honeycomb radiator may have been developed for the Mercedes 35hp, but it's still remarkably similar to what's used today: It uses its unique texture to cool the engine.

1906: The Electric-Powered Car

As an early ancestor of today's hybrid drive, several Mercedes passenger cars, trucks, buses and fire service vehicles were available with battery-electric propulsion.

1910: The Multivalve Engine

The Benz Special Touring Car was the first to employ four valves per cylinder, which improved both performance and fuel consumption.

1921: The Supercharged Engine

By pressurizing the fuel-air mixture, a compressor driven by the engine noticeably increased the power of several Mercedes models.

1931: The 4-Wheel Independent Suspension

The first-ever fully independent suspension allowed each wheel to respond individually and paved the way for future handling innovations.

Safety: 1949-1979

1949: The Conical-Pin Door Lock

This patented, extremely strong door latch — the first of its kind — was designed to prevent the doors from opening during an accident.

1951: The Crumple Zone

Still used universally to this day, crumple zones utilize a rigid passenger cell surrounded by defined deformation zones. Crumple zones were invented by legendary Mercedes-Benz Group engineer Béla Barényi.

1958: The Crash Test Program

From 1958 on, the development of every new vehicle would include a rigorous regimen of crash testing to make Mercedes vehicles even more safe.

1973: The Offset-Frontal Crash Test

The "partial overlap" barrier crash is a more accurate simulation of real-world collisions, a marked improvement of the original crash test program.

1978: The Antilock Braking System

This safety milestone is one of the biggest developments in modern automotive engineering. ABS allows the driver to retain steering control under heavy braking, an innovation that also contributed to future breakthroughs since it could brake the wheels individually.

Precision: 1982-1997

1982: The Multilink Suspension

Making its first appearance in the compact 190-Class, the five-arm rear suspension gave new levels of handling, prevision and safety.

1985: 4MATIC® All-Wheel Drive

The AWD E-Class debuts with two electronic traction systems for rear-wheel drive cars: the automatic differential lock (ASD) and automatic skid control (ASR).

1991: CFC-Free Climate Control

Long before other automakers, Mercedes-Benz removed these harmful chemicals from their air conditioning systems and manufacturing process.

1995: The Electronic Stability Program

Perhaps the most important breakthrough since the airbag, ESP helps maintain control during corners and evasive maneuvers, and it's now required by law on every car.

1997: The SmartKey

Rather than starting the car with a mechanical lock, SmartKey uses an electronic code. It's a simultaneous achievement in convenience and anti-theft technology.

Technology: 2000-Present

2000: Telematics

Mercedes-Benz vehicles start to communicate with the outside world through computers (and later phones). Drivers experience a whole new level of connectivity.

2002: PRESAFE®

A groundbreaking system, PRESAFE® detects an accident before it happens, snugging the seat belts, adjusting the head restraints and more to optimize protection during a crash.

2010: Attention Assist

After measuring over 70 parameters in the first few minutes of a drive, Attention Assist can detect signs of drowsiness and audibly alert the driver to take a break.

2016: Car-to-X

Pioneered in the 2017 E-Class, Car-to-X Communication shares critical information with other vehicles to warn of potential danger, such as slippery roads or broken-down vehicles.

Beyond: The Future

All-electric Vehicles

Developed with sustainability and luxury in mind, the all-electric vehicle lineup from Mercedes-Benz also consists of plug-in hybrids. Both electrified types are the perfect combination of world-class luxury and optimal efficiency. The all-drive system puts a premium on performance with electric drivetrains at each axle, as well as unique styling and technology that blazes a new path for electric driving.

Autonomous Vehicles

How would you like spending less time stuck in traffic or commuting and more time for you? Welcome to the age of autonomous vehicles. Mercedes-Benz is creating vehicles likeLuxury in Motion, and partnering with companies like Bosch to study urban development and intelligent software. In the future of driving, driving is optional.