The 1886 Patent That Created the Car Industry (Mercedes-Benz)

JUN 15 2025 · 12:00

The 1886 Patent That Created the Car Industry (Mercedes-Benz). Karl Benz filed the patent for the Motorwagen in January 1886, before "automobile" was even a common word. Everything Mercedes-Benz has built since — through two world wars and a major merger — traces back to that single filing. One patent, two world wars, one surviving name.