Cadillac Self Starter

Some inventions are so humdrum they appear to be almost trivial – and yet they can improve the lives of millions. For example, without Charles Kettering’s development of 1911, we might still be rushing to the front of the car to start the motor by hand.

Kettering’s self-starting electrical ignition was first installed in a Cadillac on February 17, 1911. Until then drivers – or a bystander with strong arms – had to bring the engine to life by hand-cranking the starting handle. It was just one of many of his ingenious inventions.

Born in a midwestern farming community, Kettering studied engineering at Ohio State University. In 1909, Kettering set up the Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company, or Delco, with co-founder Edward A Deeds. Soon after he developed the Delco engine-driven generator, which provided a crucial source of electricity for thousands of farms. Kettering patented over 140 other innovations, including lacquer finishes for cars, leaded petrol, and the first electrically-operated cash register.