Benz, << behnts, >> Karl (1844-1929), a German engineer, pioneered in building motor-driven vehicles. He founded Benz & Company in Mannheim, Germany, to manufacture gasoline engines. He started to build his first gasoline engine in 1878 and produced his first motor vehicle in 1885. This three-wheeled car had an electric ignition, a water-cooled engine, and a differential gear, all of which are still common in automobiles today. He also designed a float-type carburetor and a transmission system.
Benz was born on Nov. 25, 1844, in Karlsruhe. He died on April 4, 1929.
