
Happy Sunday! Welcome to Holy Shift, where we highlight big innovations in the auto and racing industries each week—whether they be necessary or simply for comfort.
It was just another day on the road in the 1940s, as engineer Ralph Teetor sat in the passenger seat alongside his patent attorney. As they conversed, Teetor couldn’t help but notice that his driver would speed up and slow down while talking. He wanted that little annoyance fixed.
So, as any capable engineer would, he fixed it. In 1950, Teetor secured the first patent for a cruise-control device.
Perhaps what is almost as interesting as Teetor’s invention is the fact that he visualized its blueprint mentally—any sketches, he couldn’t see. Teetor lost his eyesight at 5 years old, but that didn’t stop him from impressing others at an early age. His tool skills were so advanced by age 10 that his father built him a workshop, and Teetor later helped build and install basketball goals at school.
By Alanis King, Jalopnik, SouthFloridaReporter.com, Feb. 8, 2016
[/vc_message]Disclaimer
The information contained in South Florida Reporter is for general information purposes only.
The South Florida Reporter assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents of the Service.
In no event shall the South Florida Reporter be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or the contents of the Service. The Company reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents of the Service at any time without prior notice.
The Company does not warrant that the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components