Outstanding innovations make history and tell stories
- Pioneering inventions since 1886 epitomise the culture of innovation at Mercedes-Benz
- The “birth certificate of the automobile” dated 29 January 1886 is part of the UNESCO Memory of the World Register
- Mercedes-Benz milestones push boundaries and shape the evolution of the automobile
Since the birth of the automobile in 1886, Mercedes-Benz has been writing an extraordinary story of innovation – across decades and generations, always driven by the aspiration to rethink mobility. The company looks back on a rich tradition of experience and pioneering achievements that have shaped automotive development: from early, bold technical breakthroughs to pioneering advances in driving dynamics and comfort, to safety solutions that turned the car into a protected space – and on to digital assistance systems and automated driving.
Pioneering inventions from 140 years of history mark important chapters in the history of Mercedes-Benz. Usually documented and protected by patents, they push the boundaries of what is possible and set new benchmarks. They stand as milestones that shape automotive development and society. Here are some outstanding examples.
- Being a pioneer | The invention of the automobile, 1886: 140 years ago, Carl Benz took a revolutionary step towards motorised individual mobility. He developed his motor car as a completely new, holistic system. The world’s first automobile came into being – with global significance. Patent DRP 37435 for the “vehicle with gas engine” is widely regarded as the birth certificate of the automobile and is now part of UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register. This drive to “being first” with groundbreaking inventions continues to shape the company’s history of innovation to this day: Mercedes-Benz Intellectual Property comprises more than 60,000 patents, trademarks, designs and domains.
- Mastering curves | Axle pivot steering, 1893: Driving the ideal dynamic line through curves? Four-wheeled vehicles with turntable steering, adopted from carriages, can become unstable when steering sharply. This is why Carl Benz initially opted for three wheels for his patented motor car. In 1893, the Benz Victoria solved the fundamental problem of safe steering for four-wheeled automobiles: Benz patented the axle pivot steering system on 28 February 1893 (DRP 73515). It was an early milestone in improving driving safety – and its basic principle still characterises steering systems today.
- With high performance into the modern age | Mercedes 35 hp, 1900: A modern automobile with high driving safety and great performance: this was the demand made in 1900 by Emil Jellinek, business partner of Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft and the driving force behind the Mercedes brand name. Wilhelm Maybach rose to the challenge and defined the basic concept for the modern automobile: with a powerful and efficient drive, wide track, long wheelbase and low centre of gravity, the Mercedes 35 hp broke with the design principle of the carriage. A key element was the honeycomb radiator, a water cooler with a honeycomb structure. Maybach applied for a patent for it on 20 September 1900 (DRP 122766). It played a decisive role in the success of the Mercedes 35 hp in the 1901 Nice racing week and was the basis for the iconic Mercedes-Benz radiator design.
- Chassis technology for ever faster vehicles | Trapezoidal-link front axle, 1933: Following the merger in 1926, the company’s cars bore the name Mercedes-Benz. The new brand set new benchmarks with sporty, luxurious cars such as the famous supercharged touring cars of the S-series. The engines became increasingly powerful and the cars increasingly fast. Around 1930, Mercedes-Benz therefore fundamentally rethought its chassis technology and introduced the trapezoidal-link front axle with parallelogram wishbones and coil springs in the 380 (W 22, from 1933 onwards) and 500 K/540 K (W 29, from 1934 onwards) models. This became a milestone for driving safety and comfort – and a global standard.
- The automobile as a protected space | Safety body, 1959: The safety body invented by Mercedes-Benz engineer Béla Barényi made its debut in the Mercedes-Benz 111 series “Fintail” saloons. The concept was patented on 23 January 1951 (DE 854157 C): a three-part body with defined deformable zones at the front and rear and a rigid passenger cell in the centre. This allows crash energy to be absorbed in a controlled way, providing the occupants with the safest possible space. This principle is the foundation of passive vehicle safety – and the starting point for many further innovations.
- Steerable even during emergency braking | Anti-lock Braking System ABS, 1978: The first digital, electronically controlled Anti-lock Braking System ABS makes its world premiere in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class of the 116 series. It prevents the wheels from locking during emergency braking – the car remains steerable and evasive manoeuvres are possible. As the first digital assistance system, it is developed in collaboration with Bosch with the shared goal of making driving safer. Further active safety and assistance systems are based on ABS. These include Brake Assist System (BAS) from 1996, which provides full braking force in critical situations even with only slight pedal pressure.
- Well cushioned | Airbag, 1981: The driver airbag celebrates its world premiere in a production vehicle in the 126 model series S-Class. Mercedes-Benz combines it with a seat belt tensioner for the front passenger. The airbag complements the seat belt, deploys automatically in the event of an accident and can further reduce the risk of injuries. Mercedes-Benz files the patent for this on 23 October 1971 (DE 2152902 C2). The front passenger airbag follows in 1988 – initially again as an optional extra for the S-Class, soon in other models. Airbags in various positions in the interior create a comprehensive system.
- ESPecially for you | Electronic Stability Programme ESP®, 1995: The Mercedes-Benz ESP® control system is a milestone in active safety. It can prevent skidding in critical situations and thus help to avoid accidents. It premieres in February 1995 in the S-Class 140 series and is standard equipment in the top-of-the-range S 600 Coupé. Mercedes-Benz continues to develop ESP® across all vehicle classes; an important patent for its adaptation to series production is DE 4123232 C2. ESP® soon takes off throughout the industry. In the years to follow, Mercedes-Benz vehicles are equipped with many further digital assistance systems.
- Mitigating accident consequences | PRE-SAFE®, 2002: Preparing the car for an impending collision within seconds – that was the driving idea behind PRE-SAFE®, the revolutionary Mercedes-Benz system for anticipatory occupant protection. Based on patent DE 10121386 C1, it uses powerful sensors to detect critical driving situations and can help to reduce the severity of accidents with reversible measures. PRE-SAFE® made its debut in the S-Class 220 series. It shaped the concept of preventive safety and paved the way for the concept of integrated vehicle safety.
- Relief thanks to integrated chauffeur | Conditionally automated driving (SAE Level 3), 2021: Mercedes-Benz was the first car manufacturer worldwide to receive international system approval for conditionally automated driving (SAE Level 3) in December 2021. Today, the brand is accelerating the development of Level 4 robotaxis based on the new S-Class, combining comfort and safety, with the support of partners. Mercedes-Benz has been offering advanced driver assistance systems (SAE Level 2) in its vehicles for years. They simplify everyday driving by assisting with speed and distance control, steering and lane changes, as well as parking and exiting parking spaces. With the introduction of MB.OS and MB.DRIVE, state-of-the-art driver assistance systems such as MB.DRIVE ASSIST PRO for inner-city point-to-point navigation are available in the latest Mercedes-Benz models. Over the next five years, Mercedes-Benz aims to offer a version of MB.DRIVE PILOT that can reach speeds of 130 km/h.
- Electric ranges of over 1,200 kilometres | Mercedes-Benz VISION EQXX, 2022: The Mercedes-Benz VISION EQXX technology concept car shows just how efficient an electric car can be. It has demonstrated ranges of more than 1,200 kilometres with consumption of less than 10 kWh per 100 kilometres on several documented long-distance journeys, including the routes from Sindelfingen to Cassis and from Stuttgart to Silverstone. At the same time, it serves as a blueprint for future models: optimised aerodynamics, consistent weight reduction, modern software architectures and a resource-saving design all work together to achieve maximum efficiency without compromising everyday practicality.
- The paradigm shift | MB.OS, 2025: Rather than many individual control units and fragmented software environments, the integrated MB.OS vehicle operating system bundles central areas such as infotainment, ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems)/automated driving, drive control and cloud services on a unified software and hardware platform. This revolutionises the automobile, above all by providing a consistent user experience across different models, enabling faster development, new functions and over-the-air updates. The CLA, unveiled in 2025, is the first model to introduce this technology. The significance is considerable: MB.OS is to form the digital foundation for all future Mercedes-Benz vehicles. It will keep them up to date in the long term and bring new features to the fleet much more efficiently.
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