I remember reading somewhere that Chrysler Offered an ABS system on at lease one of its big cars in the late 60' or early 70's.
But, the earliest reference I can find are for a 79 MB and a 79 BMW
Am I correct, or am I confusing my cars?
My '73 Chrysler/Plymouth service manual has a section on an ABS system. It was probably an option on the VIP and Newport.
Nope, Anti-lock braking systems were first developed for aircraft. An early system was Dunlop's Maxaret system, introduced in the 1950s and still in use on some aircraft models. This was a fully mechanical system. It saw limited automobile use in the 1960s in the Ferguson P99 racing car, the Jensen FF and the experimental all wheel drive Ford Zodiac, but saw no further use; the system proved expensive and, in automobile use, somewhat unreliable. The first car (worldwide) to have ABS fitted as standard (across the entire range) was the Ford Granada Mk 3 (of 1985).
The German firm Bosch had been developing anti-lock braking technology since the 1930s, but the first production cars using Bosch's electronic system became available in 1978. They first appeared in trucks and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. ABS Systems were later introduced on motorcycles
Coasty
Some History
1899First recorded traffic fatality. H.H. Bliss is hit and killed by a horseless carriage in New York City.
1901Oldsmobiles are the first to feature speedometers.
1914First stop sign to control traffic is installed in Detroit.
1919First three color stop light is installed in Detroit.
1924First car with safety glass windows as standard equipment is offered by Cadillac.
1925Delco-Remy produces the first electric windshield wiper so that wiper speed could be maintained regardless of engine speed.
1939The industry's first electric turn signals developed by GM's guide lamp division (introduced on the market by Buick).
1940Buick is first to offer front/rear directional signaling with self-canceling switch.
1950Chrysler introduces four-wheel disc brakes.
Nash-Kelvinator introduces the Rambler, the first car to offer seat belts.
1951Mercedes-Benz patents "crumple zone" concept to protect vehicle occupants.
1953Minnesota passes first law requiring brake fluid to meet minimum SAE performance standards.
1954Safety padding on dash board offered by several vehicle manufacturers.
1955Over 1,000,000 traffic-related deaths have occurred since invention of the automobile.
Safety door latches to help prevent doors from being forced open in collisions are made standard equipment on nearly all cars.
Michican is first state to require a course in driver education before issuing a drivers license to persons under 18 years of age.
1956First year that General Motors, Ford & Chrysler offer seat belts as optional safety equipment.
Ford introduces recessed hub steering wheel.
1959Volvo first manufacturer to include front seat lap-shoulder belts as standard equipment.
1962Cadillac and American Motors are first to offer the dual master cylinder as standard equipment. It provides braking on at least two wheels should a malfunction occur to one part of the brake system.
New York first state to enact law requiring front seat belts in cars (to be effective 1965 model year).
1964The four major U.S. auto manufacturers install two front-seat lap belts as standard equipment.
1966The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act authorized the federal government to set vehicle safety standards and provide for a national highway safety program. The first of many Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) become effective in 1967.
Volvo offers childproof rear door locks, rear window defroster, roll-over bar in roof.
Ralph Nader publishes "Unsafe At Any Speed" . Book criticizes vehicle manufacturers for not showing greater responsibility towards safety. Starts consumer safety movement.
1967Volvo offers three-point seat belts in rear outboard seats.
Energy-absorbing steering column introduced by General Motors.
1968Volvo vehicles equipped with head restraints.
Federal law requires front seat belts for all passenger cars.
Federal law also establishes various crashworthiness standards to protect vehicle occupants.
1969Head restraints required in U.S.
1971Chrysler introduces a brake-slip control system, (an early version of antilock brakes).
1972Federal law requires front bumpers meet 5 mph crash standard (later reduced to 2.5 mph in 1982).
1973Side impact standards required for all new cars.
Federal law requires three-point lap-shoulder belts with inertia reels.
1974General Motors produces the first airbags.
Federal law requires all vehicles to have seat belt interlock system that prevents engine from starting unless driver and passengers are buckled up (later repealed by Congress in response to public outcry over "inconvenience").
1978Tennessee is the first jurisdiction in the world to pass a child passenger safety law.
1984First U.S. seat belt use law is enacted in New York.
1985Antilock brakes standard on S-Class Mercedes models and offered standard or optional on about 30 domestic and foreign car models during the 1987 model year.
Every state has passed legislation requiring the use of child safety seats.
High mounted center stop light required for all passenger cars.
Mercedes-Benz installs airags on U.S. models.
Ford and Lincoln offer optional air bags.
1986GM is the first domestic manufacturer to announce that rear seat lap/shoulder safety belts will begin replacing lap safety belts as standard equipment, with the phase-in to take place over the following three years.
1989Chrysler becomes first American automaker to offer airbags as standard equipment.
1990Passive restraints required for all new cars. Vehicle manufacturers meet standard by either offering driver side air bag or automatic seat-lap belts.
First head-on collision occurs between two airbag-equipped cars (Chrysler LeBarons) in Culpepper, VA. Both drivers walked away.
1991Volvo introduces side impact protection system.
All Cadillacs come standard with anti-lock brakes, making Cadillac the largest automaker to do so. GM offered anti-lock brakes and traction control on more models than any other manufacturer in the world.
1992Chrysler offers integrated child safety seats in its minivan line.
1994Volvo introduces side impact protection airbag.
1995Although available and mandated for years in Canada and Scandinavia, daytime running lights start to be offered on some new vehicles in the U.S.
All states but one have mandatory seat belt use laws.
Breed Technology introduces first aftermarket airbag that can be installed on 1987-1994 vehicles that were not factory-equipped with an airbag. Air bag is for drivers side only.
1998Dual airbags are standard equipment for all passenger cars.
GM installs less aggressive "next generation" air bags on Pontiac cars and GMC pickups and SUVs. Bags deploy with less force to protect children and small adults.
BMW introduces new inflatable tubular "Head Protection System" to protect occupants in side collisions.
1999Side airbags offered by Audi, BMW, Ford, General Motors, Hyundai, Jaguar, Mazda, Mercedes, Nissan, Porsche, Saab, Volvo and Volkswagen some or all of their 2000 models.
2000SmartBelt T systems seatbelt that think like airbags, are introduced by The BFGoodrich Company
Coasty
I think you'll find that the Lincoln Mark III's (1969) had antilock on the rear only. It was optional in 69 and 70 and standard equipment in 71. The old GM shop manuals covered it for about a 1970 model (roughly) but you can never be sure from manuals whether any cars were actually built. The Mark III's were very popular and they all had it by 71.
I noticed that the wikipedia article on antilock brakes tells a very different story, but that seems to be because it is speaking only from the Bosch perspective.
Yup.
Imperial had a first in the form of an optional four-wheel anti-skid braking system ("Sure-Brake" by Bendix at $250 or $351.50; sources differ). A sensor at each wheel, an electronic controller, and three vacuum modulators detected impending wheel lockup and pulsed hydraulic pressure to the brake. Years ahead of the industry, the system featured an automatic functional check when the engine was fired, plus instrument panel lights to announce that the system was operational or that there was a problem."
Possibly.
But for production passenger cars, Chrysler was offering one in 1971 through at least 1973. That beats your claim of the Ford Granada in
1985.
Without looking it up I believe it was the 1971 Chrysler Imperial that had a 4 wheel anti-lock system. Lincoln had a 2 wheel (rear) system.
I found the answer!
Go to
I thought it was first added to the Lincoln Mark IV first?
Oh, well.
Ken
It was Mark III, 1969, and that was rear wheels only.
The wikipedia article is just wrong. It's a history of Bosch systems only.
Okay - thanks
Nope. Imperial.
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.