History of SAE and Automotive Industry (1905-2002)

* Information not directly affiliated with SAE is denoted with italics

1905 • SAE started in New York City • Andrew L. Riker becomes the first SAE President • 30 total SAE members • U.S. produced 25,000 automobiles • First car reported stolen in St. Louis, Missouri 1906 • First SAE technical meeting • First SAE Transactions published • Alabama set maximum speed limit at 8 mph for the state 1907 • General Motors formed with acquisition of Buick, Cadillac, Oakland (Pontiac) and Oldsmobile • A Paris daily newspaper sponsored the first truly long distance rally for automobiles. Five entries left Beijing, China bound for Paris on June 10. The winner, driving an Italia, arrived in Paris on August 10. 1908 • First Model T Ford built 1909 • First SAE logo developed 1910 • Automobiles designed with closed-in body, stimulating their general appeal • New York introduced first drunk driving laws • Bayer began small scale production of synthesized rubber in Germany • About 500,000 motor vehicles produced in U.S. 1911 • First SAE junior member • SAE Bulletin (currently Automotive Engineering International) • Swiss race car driver and engineer Louis Chevrolet built first car with financing by William Durant. Chevrolet Motors formed. • General Motors Truck Co. established (later called GMC) • Automobile self starter perfected by Charles F. Kettering. Replaced the hand-crank. • Interchangeable parts introduced by Henry M. Leland 1912 • First SAE Standard published • First SAE exhibit at the Madison Square Garden Auto Show 1913 • Henry Ford introduced the first moving assembly line at his Model T plant in Highland Park, Michigan • Ford produced 1000 cars in one day • More than one million cars registered in the U.S. • First drive-in gas station created in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1914 • Ford gave workers $5 for an eight-hour work day, up from $2.34 for a nine-hour day • First electric traffic light installed in Cleveland, Ohio • First stop sign used in Detroit, Michigan • The Dodge Brothers Company conducted what is known as the beginning of crash testing by driving a car into a brick wall at 20 mph 1915 • First SAE student branch - Cornell University 1916 • Society of Automobile Engineers became Society of Automotive Engineers • American Society of Aeronautic Engineers and Society of Tractor Engineers merge with SAE • Orville Wright becomes a member of SAE 1917 • First SAE aerospace standard on interchangeable spark plugs issued 1918 • First three-color traffic signal light used in Detroit 1919 • Oregon introduced first gasoline tax 1920 • First woman joined SAE, Miss Nellie M. Scott • Lubricants Division of standards committee formed 1922 • Denver created the first specially designed police car with a machine gun located on the hood of the car 1923 • 5,390 total SAE members • Powered windshield wipers became standard equipment on many cars • Radio first offered as car accessory • The Lincoln Highway became the first paved roadway, allowing drivers to go from New York to San Francisco • Hertz became first national car rental agency • Antifreeze created to allow motorists to drive year round 1924 • Walter Chrysler displayed first car at New York auto show and sold 32,000 cars in first year • 1 in 7 Americans owned a car 1925 • U.S. Government developed numbering system of federal roads 1926 • SAE Handbook issued as a bound volume for the first time • Shatterproof glass allowed automobile industry to accent the safety sales message 1927 • First SAE award given - Wright Brothers medal 1930 • Diesel Engine Activity formed • SAE 25th anniversary 1933 • SAE Fuels and Lubricants Activity formed 1935 • SAE Tractor and Industrial Power Equipment formed 1936 • First SAE national aircraft production meeting 1937 • Automatic transmission brought into market 1938 • Clarence Spicer becomes SAE President 1939 • Buick introduced turn signals as standard equipment • Auto air conditioning created • SAE Aerospace Material Specification published 1940 • First four-wheel drive all-purpose automobile made for American military. Known as the GI, it was soon nicknamed the GP (a Jeep). 1942 • War Activity Council formed • Cooperative Research Council formed, sponsored jointly by SAE and the American Petroleum Institute • Civilian car production halted for World War II 1943 • SAE War Activity Office established (currently Automotive Headquarters) 1944 • SAE Special Publication Department established 1946 • SAE Technical Board began operation • First power windows introduced 1947 • SAE Engineering Material Activity formed • Henry Ford died at 83 1953 • 22,814 total SAE members • First SAE Journal published 1955 • SAE 50th anniversary • U.S. production record hit 9 million vehicles 1956 • Electric door locks introduced in several luxury car models • The Interstate Highway Act created a super highway network to connect all parts of the nation 1958 • SAE Section Board approved 1960 • California created first auto emissions law • Private car ownership reached 1 car for every 31 people in the world: 1 for every 22 in Europe and 1 for every 3 in the U.S., where 15% of families had more than 1 car 1961 • 1,000th SAE aerospace material specification published 1962 • Wisconsin introduced first law regarding the seat belt as a standard requirement • Child car seat with safety belt is introduced 1964 • Teetor Award Program established 1965 • Rear seat belts became standard on most cars • 29,098 SAE members • Motor Vehicle Air Pollution Act caused national standards to reduce auto emissions 1966 • SAE Transactions computerized • SAE conversion guide (English to metric) created • SAE publications added international coverage 1967 • Land, sea, air and space added to SAE logo 1972 • Cars traveled along Los Angeles freeways at an average speed of 60 mph 1973 • 29,362 total SAE members 1974 • SAE world headquarters established in Warrendale, PA • National 55 mph speed limit enacted after oil shortages • The average American family spent 33% of yearly income for a new car • Air bags introduced as safety option 1976 • Collegiate Design Series established with Mini Baja event 1977 • SAE Fellow Award established 1978 • SAE's Global Mobility Database formed on-line • SAE Women Engineers Committee formed • Japan accounted for more than half the cars imported into the U.S., with total sales passing 1.5 million units. 1980 • SAE 75th anniversary • Japan surpassed U.S. in auto sales, becoming the world's largest auto producer 1981 • SAE in Aerospace Engineering magazine (currently Aerospace Engineering) • New SAE logo adopted • First Formula SAE held • The pickup truck is the year's best selling vehicle 1982 • Japanese auto manufacturer Honda began auto production in Marysville, Ohio 1983 • Professional Development Program established 1984 • SAE established Engineering Education Board • New York created first law requiring use of seat belts 1986 • SAE Foundation approved • SAE Medal of Honor established 1987 • Membership passed record breaking 50,000 mark • Child safety seat campaign introduced • SAE Historical committee established 1988 • SAE launched billboard campaign on child safety seats: "Buckle Up Baby"