Inventor Record

Automotive engineering

Carl Benz: inventions and patents

Known for Benz Patent Motor Car, regarded as the first automobileNationality Born in Karlsruhe, died in Ladenburg25 November 1844 to 4 April 1929

Carl Benz, born in Karlsruhe in 1844, founded Benz & Co. Rheinische Gasmotoren-Fabrik in Mannheim in 1883. German patent 37435 for a vehicle with gas engine operation was filed on 29 January 1886 in the name of Benz & Co. in Mannheim. The Mercedes-Benz Group says the resulting three-wheeled Benz Patent Motor Car, model no. 1, is regarded as the first automobile. He died in Ladenburg in 1929.1,2,3,4

Patents

DE 374351,3,4

Vehicle with gas engine operation

Filed
29 January 1886
Granted
2 November 1886
Assignee
Benz & Co. in Mannheim, as printed on the patent. Google Patents lists Benz and Co Rheinische Automobil und Motorenfabrik AG

View the patent document

Inventions

Sources

  1. Google Patents, DE37435C Vehicle with gas engine operation (accessed 2026-10-27)
  2. Mercedes-Benz Group, Benz Patent Motor Car: The first automobile (1885 to 1886) (accessed 2026-10-27)
  3. Mercedes-Benz Group, Carl Benz (accessed 2026-10-27)
  4. Historische Kommission bei der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Benz, Carl Friedrich, Deutsche Biographie (accessed 2026-10-27)