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19 Bizarre and Interesting Facts About Cars
Nearly everyone in today's society owns a car or at least travels in one on a daily basis. Life would be a lot different without them and travelling to destinations would take a lot longer. We are fortunate to have vehicles that come in all shapes and sizes with each make and model having its own unique features and quirks. But besides a car's practical uses, it also holds a wealth of interesting and surprising facts that many people may not know about.
From the progressive times of the world's first automobile to the fastest production cars on the planet, there are numerous fun and random facts about cars that have sparked curiosity and amazement to even the most seasoned car enthusiasts. For example, did you know that the world’s first automobile accident happened in Ohio City in 1891 involving the famous expert James William Lambert. He hit a tree root which caused the car to lose control and smash into a hitching post.
Whether you're a car lover or just looking for some captivating trivia, the world of automobiles is full of fascinating facts and bizarre stories waiting to be discovered. So, buckle up and get ready to explore the weird and wonderful world of cars with these random fun facts.
1. A woman named Mary Anderson invented windshield wipers in 1905
When automobiles were created, nobody thought about the hazards of driving in the rain. It was simply dealt with by either stopping and manually wiping the rain away or by risking the drive in the rain and not being able to see properly. One day after being fed up with having to stop all the time because of the rain, Mary Anderson came up with the brilliant idea of windshield wipers.
2. The first electric powered vehicle was created in 1832 by Robert Anderson
Before you ask, Mary Anderson was not married to Robert Anderson. Robert Anderson was a Scottish inventor who developed a carriage powered by non-rechargeable primary power cells.
So why weren’t Electric Vehicles popular back then?
It was assumed during the 1900s that petrol cars were better than electric cars due to being cheaper, able to travel farther and overall better than an electric vehicle. After analysis from multiple sources, it seems the real reason, however, was very different. Research suggests the reason was in fact lack of infrastructure to support electric cars, as electricity was not available in rural areas.
3. The inventor of Cruise Control was blind
Ralph Teetor was an engineer and inventor who became blind at the age of 5 while working with a knife that accidentally struck his eye. Even though he became blind, Teetor never let his condition define him, and his curiosity in the automobile industry kept growing. By the age of 13 Teetor was already working at his family business, Perfect Circle Corporation, where he later became lead engineer.
Teetor was inspired to create cruise control due to his driver's habit of varying his speed based on whether he was speaking or not. This created inconsistencies when driving and annoyed Teetor so he developed cruise control, which later opened the doors to foreshadow technologies like autonomous vehicles, GPS navigation, hazard automatic braking and lane assist systems.
4. The best-selling car of all time is the Toyota Corolla
It’s not surprising to see that Toyota Corolla is the best-selling car of all time with more than 43 million Toyota Corollas sold since 1966! That’s right, they have been around for over half a century due to their popular demand. Every year it continues to be further improved and developed for everyday users which is why it's so popular all round the world.
This would explain why the Toyota Corolla is also one of the most popular cars in Singapore.
5. 95% of a car’s lifetime is spent parked
Yep, that's right, only 5% of your car's lifetime is spent on the road. That's because most of the time is spent parked overnight or in a parking lot during the day, or it could just be resting over the weekend when you are not going anywhere and having a lazy Sunday. It is a great idea to make sure you are leaving your vehicle in a safe spot like your garage or somewhere with cameras where you know your car is safe.
Speaking of parking, be sure to check out our helpful guide to free and cheap parking in Singapore before you head out shopping next.
6. It is a criminal offence to drive a dirty car obscuring your licence plate
Drivers who fail to wash their car properly could be given a hefty fine of $469 and lose 3 demerit points in Australia if their licence plates are not displayed properly and cleanly. In Singapore if your number plate is not at certain measurements and is not displayed properly then you can be fined up to $1,0001 and imprisonment of up to 3 months.
7. The average driver will spend approximately 99 days of their life stuck in traffic
It's something we don't usually think about as we are sitting in traffic in a rage trying to make the traffic congestion disappear, but it is a fact that a person can spend up to 99 days of their lifetime in a traffic jam.
8. Over 80 million cars are produced every year
According to Statista2, there were almost 80 million motor vehicles produced worldwide in 2022. The highest number of vehicles in the last decade was between 2017-2018 with an estimated 97 million vehicles produced. No wonder traffic is getting worse! The largest producers of cars and commercial vehicles in 2020 were China, Japan, and Germany.
9. A modern Formula 1 car can drive upside down in a tunnel at 120mph
F1 cars can produce around 3.5G while cornering, which means they have enough aerodynamic downforce to drive upside down in a tunnel.
How crazy is that! But please do not attempt to try this in Singapore’s Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) or any of our tunnels for that matter!
Another interesting fact about Formula 1 cars is that they can accelerate from 0-160km/h and back to 0 in under 5 seconds. The fastest measured F1 car in 2022 was 251.7l/h while the highest speed ever recorded in an F1 race was 272.5km/h in 2016 at the Mexican Grand Prix.
Speaking of speed….
10. What is the world’s fastest car?
There are plenty of contenders for the world’s fastest car, and as technology improves, so does the top speed. Currently, the world’s fastest petrol/internal combustion engine powered car is the Koenigsegg Gemera, hitting speeds of up to 248 miles per hour (399.12 km/h) and can reach 0 to 60km/h in 1.9 seconds.
The fastest electric vehicle is the 2022 Tesla Model S Plaid which can reach to a speed of 60mp/h (100km/h) in 1.99 seconds and reach a peak speed of 200 miles per hour (321.87 km/h).
Check out this article to see a list of the fastest electric and petrol powered cars in 2023.
11. The largest recorded speeding fine ever produced was £180,000 (S$294,601)
The enormous speeding ticket was given to a Swiss motorist caught driving 137 km/h in a 80km/h zone in a Swedish village near St. Gallen on January 2010. In Sweden the speeding fines are proportional to the amount someone earns. This man was driving a red Ferrari Testarossa with a wealth of £14.1 million (S$23.1 million).
12. The world’s first speeding ticket was given in 1902 for driving at 13 km/h
The man in question was named Walter Arnold who drove a scandalous 4 times the limit which was 2 km/h. He was chased down by a police officer on his bicycle to catch up with Mr Arnold’s 13 km/h driving vehicle to issue him the first ever speeding ticket. He was fined £4 (S$6.5) 7s in total (about £260 or S$425 in today's money) of which 10 shillings was for the speeding charge.
13. It would take approximately 6 months to get to the Moon by car
Imagine being able to drive to the moon, an insane idea! Theoretically, the only problem apart from lack of a solid road to drive on, or the fact there’s no atmosphere or breathable air, and zero gravity, would be finding a petrol station to refuel… and maybe a bathroom!
I guess if we could theoretically drive to the moon then we’d be driving a Ford Meteor, Ford Galaxy, Vauxhall Astra…. Or maybe a Nissan Pulsar ;)
14. Cars are made up of approximately 30,000 parts
With so many different parts in a car, it's hard for an average person to remember all of them. That's why we have mechanics and technicians to help us repair and modify a vehicle if changes need to be made. The most common auto parts are known to be the battery, engine, headlights and brake pads that can be easily checked at home for any issues and repairs.
Visit one of our authorised repairers and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing any one of these 30,000 parts will be replaced and working like new.
15. The world record for the highest vehicle mileage is 3,039,122 miles
A man named Irvin Gordan who owned a 1966 Volvo 1800S was able to clock on just over 3 million miles back in 2014.With that distance you can almost make 120 trips around the world. So what was his secret to keeping his car alive for that long? We will never know what but we do know is that keeping a regular maintenance check is key.
16. Dubai has the world's fastest police cars
It's not surprising to see that Dubai has been named by the Guinness World Records for having the world's fastest police cars. Included in their fleet is a Bugatti Veyron to name just one of their cars. This powerful car has a 16-cylinder engine which produces 1,000 horsepower and can reach speeds up to 253 mph (407 km/h) and jump from 0 to 60mph in just 2 and half seconds. So do give it a second thought before trying to outrun the police in Dubai.
17. It is illegal to slam a car door in Switzerland after 10pm.
A bizarre rule when you first hear it but makes sense as this law is implemented after 10pm to not disturb other people as most will be sleeping or resting by this time.
Check out this article for some other bizarre road and traffic laws around the world.
18. The world’s most popular car colour is white
For the 10th year in a row, white has been named once again to be the most popular car choice. According to an Australian study, vehicles that are coloured white are 10% less likely to be involved in an accident.
And in case you are curious, the least popular car colour is purple.
19. In the United States, a car is stolen every 45 seconds!
According to car theft statistics from Statista3 there were 268 cases in the US for every 100,000 people in 2021. The stolen cars statistics from the annual Hot Spots Report of the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) explain that this equates to over 932,000 thefts.
Luckily, Singapore is a much safer country with far less cases of automotive theft. That being said, it would be naive for us to assume everything is perfect. Check out this article on Singapore’s most crime filled neighbourhoods and take extra care when parking your vehicle in these areas.
Cars have a rich and fascinating history filled with fun and interesting facts that continue to captivate people all over the world. From the first automobile created by Karl Benz in 1885, to the high-tech electric and self-driving cars of today, cars have come a long way in terms of design, performance, and technology.
Vehicles have also inspired countless works of art, literature, and music, and have played a significant role in shaping our culture and way of life. From road trips to racing, cars have become an integral part of modern society and will undoubtedly continue to capture our imaginations and fuel our passions for generations to come, pardon the pun..
Overall, cars are more than just a means of transportation; they are a source of innovation, creativity, and excitement that have the power to connect people across the globe. So, whether you're a car enthusiast or simply appreciate the impact they have had on our world, there's no denying that cars will always hold a special place in our hearts and in the history books.
Citations:
[1] https://onemotoring.lta.gov.sg/content/onemotoring/home/buying/vehicle-types-and-registrations/car/standard_registration.html#:~:text=Ensure%20that%20you%20always%20display,of%20up%20to%203%20months
[2] https://www.statista.com/statistics/262747/worldwide-automobile-production-since-2000/
[3] https://www.deepsentinel.com/blogs/car-theft-statistics-2022/