If one had to guess who invented the motor car names such as Ford, Daimler, Duryea and Cugnot would all be valid choices. If the first person to patent a motor vehicle is considered the inventor that would be George Seldon.

Seldon applied for a patent on the "Road Engine" in 1879, by 1895 when the patent was issued a young automobile industry was taking off in the USA. Under threat of suit many of the manufacturers took out a license from him and most of their cars for the next ten to fifteen years sported a small brass plaque reading "Manufactured under Seldon Patent.

Henry Ford refused to go along with this and fought it out in court, finally winning one year before the patent expired.

Seldon was a patent attorney, not a manufacturer, he built his one and only car during the course of the suit with Ford. The car managed to stagger along under its own power briefly.

Seldon Patent Print available at Vintage Internet Patents

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