"Speed has never killed anyone, suddenly becoming stationary... That's what gets you"
Jeremy Clarkson, motoring broadcaster
From time to time a talented inventor comes along who is so prolific that they almost redefine an industry single-handedly. German engineer Karl Benz (1844- 1929) was one such inventor.
During the 1870s and 1880s he secured many patents—including the speed regulation system known as the accelerator or throttle in 1890—that represented significant developments in the - technology of the automobile. Being one of the first to patent on many aspects of the design of the internal combustion engine eventually led Benz to become a leader in the field of automotive design.
The throttle performs a simple function in the internal combustion engine. The fuel—usually gasoline—is mixed with air before being ignited in the cylinders to produce the small explosion that fires the piston, which in turn rotates the drive shaft turning the wheels. The accelerator controls the fuel, air ratio, thereby determining the power output of the engine and as a consequence the speed of the car.
In the United Kingdom, automotive engineer Frederick Lanchester (1868-1946) introduced the accelerator or gas pedal between 1900 and 1904.
There have been some modifications to the basic design of the accelerator over the years, but the fundamental design has not changed and remains one of the pivotal elements of powered vehicles.
