From horse carriages to self-driving cars, we have come a long way in transportation. Within the automotive industry itself, we have seen vehicles go from inaccessibly unaffordable to mass produced and in every driveway. The history of cars is an extensive and fascinating one. In the early twentieth century, Henry Ford invented the Model T car. Although Karl Benz invented the first car as we know it today, Ford is recognized as the first to invent a car that was easily mass produced. By 1927, he was producing a car every 24 seconds, making it affordable and available to every willing family. Once nearly every American was trading in a horse carriage for a car, the United States began connecting cities and states with a 41,000-mile long network of highways. Fast forward 60 years and you have an ever-growing automobile industry. Because more and more cars could be found on the road, there were greater chances for fatalities. Because of this, Congress implemented seat belts and other safety features in the late 1960s and early 1970s. These safety features dramatically decreased the fatality rates for the following thirty years. At the end of the millennium, there was a definite shift toward electric and hybrid vehicles. Once the world had experienced numerous oil crises in the 70s, 90s and early 2000s, automotive companies felt the need and pressure to give its consumers options. Once Toyota unveiled its Prius in 1997, numerous competitors followed. With hybrids and electric cars becoming the norm, companies felt the pressure to continue to advance their vehicles with available technology. You will be hard-pressed to find a car built today without Bluetooth, GPS navigation systems, and even voice recognition features. With room to continue growing and advancing, we have only seen the beginning of what is to come. The cars currently in our driveways will sooner, rather than later, become old news. Whether you are driving a 20-year old vehicle or a top of the line modern electric car, Glass America is your go-to for windshield and window repairs and replacements. Contact us today to schedule a visit from one of our technicians.