Women inventors in the automotive industry have not just made driving in the rain possible

There is plenty of prejudice against women and cars, often initiated by their male counterpart : complains like they cannot parallel park; they have no spatial awareness and they only use their rear view mirror to put on makeup. If you think there’s any truth in these theories, then you’d be surprised to know how much the automotive industry owes to women in developing the wonderful machines we drive today. Carmudi, the leading car website for buying and selling vehicles, sheds light on some significant parts and designs of the car that have been invented by women

Windshield Wipers


It was Mary Anderson, who was granted a patent for the windshield wiper in 1903.The first windshield wiper was a swinging arm with a rubber blade that could be operated manually by a lever inside the car, similar to what we use today. She tried to sell the rights in 1905 but was rejected by a Canadian firm that claimed it was “not of such commercial use as would warrant the undertaking of its sale.” Even today, windshield wipers operate on the same basic design that Anderson created.

Signal & Brake Lights


Turn signals and brake lights are 2 of the most indispensable inventions in car history. Silent film star Florence Lawrence invented them in 1913. Her “auto signaling arm” was a device which, when the driver pressed a button, would raise or lower an arm with an attached sign that indicated the direction of the turn. The brake signal used the same idea, but with a “stop” sign attached. Unfortunately, she never patented her ideas and so received no credit when others in the auto industry copied her.

Sleeve-Valve Automobile Engine


One of the most extraordinary female inventors of the 19th century, Margaret E. Knight invented a machine that automated the production of paper bags. Although her invention was originally stolen from her she later won a patent interference lawsuit and used her winnings from this case to found the Eastern Paper Bag Co. Knight was a major contributor to the evolution of the rotary engine, patenting a number of its components and improvements, including the sleeve-valve automobile engine.

Kevlar Tires


The Polish-American inventor Stephanie Kwolek was part of a team attempting to find a fiber that was strong enough, yet lightweight for use in tires. Kwolek noticed that the polymers she was working with at the time formed liquid crystals which could be spun into fiber. In tests with tires it was found that these polymers, later named "Kevlar," would not break in situations where nylon would.

Volvo Concept Car


Volvo's 'Your Concept Car' is a concept vehicle designed by women for women. The idea of an all-woman team making all the decisions in the development of a new concept car arose at Volvo Car in the autumn of 2001. Visiting Volvo at the time for a series of workshops was Marti Barletta, an American expert on female consumer patterns. She claimed: "If you meet the expectations of women, you exceed the expectations of men." And this has exactly been the yardstick for developing Your Concept Car.

So, next time you drive in the rain, think of Mary Anderson and thank her for windshield wipers. If you are still on the hunt for your dream car, look for it on www.carmudi.com.ng or simply download the Carmudi app to find your car on the go.