| Timeline |
| 1900 | Packard is the first U.S. car to feature three-speed and reverse gear box. |
| 1901 | Ransom E. Olds originates mass production techniques. |
| 1901 | British designer Frederick William Lanchester patents disc brakes. |
| 1901 | Frederick Simms invents first car fender, based on railway engine buffers. |
| 1906 | Rolls and Royce form company. |
| 1908 | Henry Ford begins mass production of the Model T. |
| 1908 | William Durant forms General Motors, forerunner of modern automotive plants. |
| 1908 | Henry Ford adds conveyor belt to improve mass production system for Model T. |
| 1911 | Charles Kettering invents the electric starter. |
| 1911 | Synchronized transmission for easier gear shifting, improved carburetors, heaters, and mechanically operated windshield wipers. |
| 1911 | Interchangeable parts are introduced by Henry M. Leland. |
| 1915 | Cadillac introduces the V-8 engine. |
| 1916 | Dodge mass-produces first car body made entirely of steel. |
| 1919 | The Hispano-Suiza H6B demonstrates first single foot pedal to operate first coupled four-wheel brakes. |
| 1919 | Dussenberg demonstrates first use of hydraulic brake fluid as a link between pedal and mechanism. |
| 1926 | Francis Wright Davis installs first power steering system in the Pierce-Arrow. |
| 1927 | Ford introduces the 3-geared Model A. |
| 1929 | Cooperative Fuel Research Engine, Waukesha, Wisconsin, measures detonation, or knock limit, of a given fuel, determines octane rating, and becomes the standard test engine of the industry. |
| 1934 | Chrysler Airflow becomes the first mass-produced streamlined car. |
| 1934 | Chrysler adds fifth gear (overdrive). |
| 1940 | Karl Pabst designs the Jeep, workhorse of WWII. |
| 1947 | B. F. Goodrich Co. introduces the first tubeless tire. |
| 1948 | Disc brakes are introduced by Chrysler. |
| 1953 | Corvette becomes the first car whose body is made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic. |
| 1955 | French Citroen introduces revolutionary gas suspension system. Its brakes, transmission, and steering are all power-assisted. |
| 1960 | Private car ownership reaches 1 car for every 31 people in the world; 1 for every 22 in Europe, and 1 for every 3 in the United States, where 15% of families have more than one car. |
| 1966 | Electronic fuel injection system is developed in Britain. |
| 1967 | Pontiac develops safer car bumpers that absorb some of the energy of an impact or collision. |
| 1979 | Direct-Injected Stratified Charge (DISC) engine is developed. |
| 1980 | Voice prompts are first used in the Datsun 810. |
| 1980-90s | Continuing research and experimental work with alternative fuels, electric and solar-powered vehicles, seat belts, airbags, mapping systems, etc. |
