Gullwing doors first hit the market in the 1950s thanks to Mercedes-Benz. They had developed the 300SL (the W194) for sports car racing from the 1952 season and the design required non-standard doors as the tubular chassis was very high – in fact it was next to the drivers seat as a safety precaution. This meant that either they had very small doors or the doors were hinged … [Read more...]
Anti-lock Braking Systems
Like many technologies found in cars, Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS) were originally developed for aircraft. It’s not a good idea for a plane to lock its wheels on landing! The first systems were developed in the 1920s by Gabriel Voisin a French car and aircraft engineer specifically for planes. One of the earliest systems was developed by Dunlop, the tyre company. Called … [Read more...]
Auto and Technology Grows Closer
In another sign that the automotive and technology industries are getting closer, Ford has announced a new Research and Development Centre in Silicon Valley. Tesla are already based in northern California and use the old NUMMI plant that General Motors and Toyota established some years ago. When GM pulled out, Tesla joined Toyota. It is logical for Tesla to be in Silicon … [Read more...]
