The year 1886 is regarded as the birth year of the modern car when German inventor Karl Benz patented his Benz Patent-Motorwagen. There are over 161 car brands in the whole world. Cars have a history and there are certain facts that most people do not know about cars.

• There are over 1 billion cars currently in use on the planet.
• The first cars did not have steering wheels. They were operated by a lever.
• The U.S. consumes about half of the world’s gasoline.
• Almost 65% of the world’s population drives on the right side of the road.
• The first car accident occurred in 1891, in Ohio, USA.

• The most commonly stolen vehicle is the Honda Accord.
• In 1941, Henry Ford made a car out of soybeans. The car weighed 2000 lbs. and had a tubular steel frame that had 14 plastic panels attached to it.
• The word “car” comes from the Latin word “carrus” – a two-wheeled wagon.
• There are more cars than people in Los Angeles.
• Benz and Mercedes were competitors until 1920. When these companies merged, the newly formed company started selling cars under the brand name ‘Mercedes- Benz’.