Technology Milestones: From ABC to ZAS
Technologies with which Mercedes and Mercedes-Benz made history:
| 1886 | Karl Benz and the team of Gottfried Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach invent the automobile. |
| 1900 | Mercedes 35 PS: First modern-design car, with aluminium engine, camshaft-driven inlet valves, honeycomb radiator, coil clutch, stamped steel frame, low centre of gravity, impact-free steering and water-cooled brakes |
| 1903 | New high-performance engines with camshaft-driven overhead inlet valves in the Mercedes-Simplex 18/22 PS and Mercedes-Simplex 60 PS |
| 1905 | DMG presents two major innovations in commercial vehicle design with a radiator positioned at the front end of the frame and cast steel wheels. |
| 1906 | Six-cylinder racing engine with machined steel cylinders and overhead camshaft with vertical shaft drive: provides inspiration for aeroengines and high-performance car engines
First Mercedes produced in America is delivered. two spark plugs per cylinder engines |
| 1907 | DMG supplies the first petrol-engined fire-fighting vehicle in Germany
Mercedes Dernburg Wagen with four wheel drive and four wheel steering |
| 1908 | The Berlin fire service takes delivery of the first electrically powered fire-fighting convoy, consisting of four "Mercedes-Electrique" vehicles |
| 1910 | Benz Prinz Heinrich Wagen with 4 valves and 2 spark plugs per cylinder |
| 1911 | Mercedes 37/90 PS with three valves per cylinder and twin-spark ignition |
| 1914 | Mercedes 28/95 PS: production car with six-cylinder engine with machined steel cylinders and overhead camshaft with vertical shaft drive |
| 1923 | Mercedes 6/25/40 PS and 10/40/65 PS: first supercharged production cars
accelerator pedal with kick down switch |
| 1924 | DMG presents the first diesel trucks with compressed air injection at the Berlin Motor Show. Benz & Cie, since May partners of DMG in an association of mutual interest, presents the first standard-production diesel truck in the world to feature the Benz-developed pre-chamber injection system. The 5K3 with a 4 cylinder 8.8 liter diesel engine developed up to 50 hp at 1000 rpm. |
| 1925 | Benz & Cie present low-frame buses. |
| 1926 | G1 four wheel drive vehicle with inline six cylinder
engine
Merger between DMG and Benz & Cie |
| 1927 | Mercedes-Benz L5: the first standard-production six-cylinder diesel truck and the first volume-production diesel truck in the world. |
| 1928 | Mercedes with inline eight cylinder engine |
| 1930 | Change-over to all-steel bus bodies at Mercedes-Benz |
| 1931 | independant rear suspension with swing axle |
| 1932 | Presentation of Lo 2000 2-ton light truck, the first diesel-engined light truck in the world |
| 1933 | Fully independant suspension with double wishbone front suspension appeared on model 380. |
| 1936 | Mercedes Dieselwagen 260 D, passenger car with diesel engine |
| 1939 | First experimental vehicle with strong side protection, rigid floor and three-part steering column |
| 1948 | Electric power windows |
| 1949 | Patented safety conical-pin locks prevent doors from
jumping open in an accident.
The first Unimog, the Daimler-Benz-developed Universal-Motorgerät, is produced. |
| 1951 | Patented safety body with rigid passenger cell and defined crumple zones front and rear |
| 1954 | Single-joint swing axle in the Mercedes-Benz 220
Mercedes-Benz 300 SL is the first standard-production vehicle with fuel-injected four-stroke engine. |
| 1956 | L/LP 326: first Mercedes-Benz diesel truck developing 200 hp |
| 1957 | Daimler-Benz begins to install seat belts, first
introduced on airplanes. The Bilstein gas shock absorber world premieres on a Mercedes-Benz. |
| 1958 | Conical-pin door lock with two safety catches
LP 333: cab-over-engine three-axle truck with two steered front axles |
| 1959 | First impact and roll-over tests
Mercedes "tail-fin" models feature the first safety body in the world, with integrated crumple zones. |
| 1961 | All Mercedes-Benz models now equipped as standard with
anchorage points for front seat belts
Dual-circuit servo-assisted hydraulic brake system with disc brake on front and rear wheels in the Mercedes-Benz 300SE First shoulder belts |
| 1963 | Mercedes-Benz 230 SL: first sports car with safety body |
| 1964 | Switchover to direct injection diesels in the commercial vehicle sector begins. |
| 1966 | Development of a systematic safety research strategy. The terms "active safety" and "passive safety" are coined. |
| 1967 | Safety steering system comprising telescopic steering
column and steering wheel with impact absorber is now standard on all
models.
Presentation of the O 305 prototype standard urban line-service bus |
| 1968 | Presentation of Mercedes-Benz safety head restraint
First static three-point seatbelt First testing of airbag systems |
| 1969 | Official founding of Mercedes-Benz accident research department and start of accident analysis
Premiere of experimental electric bus OE 302, the first diesel electric hybrid bus. New LP 1632 commercial vehicle with first hydraulically tilting cab. |
| 1971 | ESV programme starts (ESV = Experimental Safety Vehicle).
ESV vehicles feature three-point inertia-reel seatbelts, belt force
limiters, belt tensioners and the first driver and passenger airbags.
Mercedes-Benz 350 SL featuring belt buckle fixed to the seat frame, four-spoke safety steering wheel and dirt-inhibiting side windows and rear lights. Fuel tank over rear axle and separated from passengers by steel panel Ribbed "anti-soil" rear lamps |
| 1971 | OG 305 experimental natural gas bus presented. |
| 1972 | First electric van LE 306 with replaceable battery presented.
OE 302 experimental electric bus goes into scheduled service in Esslingen near Stuttgart. |
| 1973 | Three-point automatic seatbelts enter series production.
Head restraints standard for the front seats
First children's restraint systems First Mercedes-Benz offset crash test |
| 1974 | Mercedes-Benz 240 D 3.0: First production car with
five-cylinder engine
Rear three pointed seat belts |
| 1975 | Mercedes-Benz presents the first prototype with hydrogen
drive and hydride storage, based on an L 306 minibus.
Line-service trials of an OE 302 DUO bus for combined battery/overhead line operation |
| 1976 | New safety steering system with corrugated tube in W 123 series. |
| 1977 | Mercedes-Benz 300 SD: first standard-production turbocharged
diesel passenger car
Presentation of the O 305 standard-line service articulated pusher bus |
| 1978 | anti-lock braking system (ABS) debut in S-class (116 series)
Offset crash with 40 per cent frontal overlap incorporated into internal crash-test program Presentation of the O-Bahn track-guided bus system C111 diesel powered research car sets 9 world speed records |
| 1979 | New S-class (W 126) with forked member front-end structure
is the first car in the world specially designed to withstand an offset
collision
Three-point seatbelts fitted as standard on the outer seats. Front shoulder belt-height adjustment premiered in the S-class. |
| 1981 | First driver airbag and seat belt tensioner in the S-class
"Auto 2000" research car - Towards an economical, low-emission future MB presents the anti-lock braking system for commercial vehicles. Presentation of the O 305 experimental bus with methanol drive |
| 1982 | Multi-link independent rear suspension makes its world debut in the Mercedes-Benz compact class (W 201). |
| 1983 | Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) in North America |
| 1984 | All Mercedes-Benz models now fitted with front belt tensioners.
Emergency tensioning retractors |
| 1985 | Debut for ASD (automatic locking differential), ASR
(acceleration skid control) and 4MATIC (engageable four-wheel drive)
Electronic powershift (EPS) fitted as standard on trucks |
| 1986 | Closed-loop three-way catalytic converters fitted as
standard on all petrol-engined Mercedes-Benz passenger cars.
First headlamp wiper/washers for US models ASR introduced for Mercedes-Benz trucks and buses. |
| 1988 | First passenger airbag supplied as an option for the S-class. |
| 1988 | Introduction of decompression valve engine brake in Mercedes-Benz trucks and buses |
| 1989 | First seats with integrated seatbelts, first
automatically extending roll-over bar and first draught stop in
Mercedes-Benz SL Roadster
Introduction of Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) engines for commercial vehicles Automatic height adjustment for rear seatbelts in 124 series |
| 1991 | The F100 research car introduces several new safety
concepts. All-round disc brakes for heavy-duty commercial vehicles introduced on Mercedes-Benz O 404 coach. |
| 1992 | All Mercedes-Benz models equipped as standard with driver
airbag and ABS
Passenger airbag standard on S-class The one millionth Mercedes-Benz fitted with airbag First offset crash test with deformable barrier G-force brake proportioning system (S-Class) Presentation of Euro 2 engines for Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles |
| 1993 | First integrated child seat optionally available for C-class
First four-valve diesel engines for C-class and E-class Catalytic converter fitted as standard on all Mercedes-Benz diesel cars |
| 1994 | First rear-end crash test with deformable barrier
Full front air bags standard on all Mercedes models in North America NECAR (New Electric Car): first-generation fuel-cell prototype from Mercedes-Benz |
| 1995 | "Electronic Stability Program" (ESP) standard in S 600 coupé
Belt tensioner with integrated belt force limiter; side airbag Disc brakes all round for Sprinter vans |
| 1996 | F 200 coupé study featuring "drive-by-wire" and "Keyless-Go" technology
First vehicles equipped with Brake Assist (BAS) Door-mounted side air bags for driver and front passenger PLD (pump/line/nozzle) high-pressure injection for commercial vehicle engines CAN databuses and control systems for heavy-duty trucks |
| 1997 |
New V6 and V8 engines with three valves per cylinder and twin-spark ignition
Sidebags for driver and front fitted as standard BabySmart child seat detection system (1998 SLK roadster) A-class with sandwich floor and engine which slides down and underneath the passenger compartment in a frontal collision New common-rail direct-injection (CDI) passenger car diesel engines NECAR 3 (based on the A-class): first fuel-cell prototype in the world with on-board hydrogen reformation Introduction of 4ETS permanent four wheel drive NEBUS: first fully operational fuel cell bus DynAPS navigation with dynamic traffic rerouting introduced |
| 1998 | First window bags supplied as optional equipment for the E-class
New S-class featuring 30 technical innovations. e.g. passenger airbag with two-stage deployment, rear belt tensioners and belt force limiters, automatic child seat recognition (ACSR), air suspension with adaptive damping system (AIRmatic), COMAND operating/display system Brake Assist System SUV crash compatibility |
| 1999 |
CL coupé: first production vehicle in the world with Active Body Control (ABC)
Aerotwin wiper introduced on CL Mercedes-Benz models standard-equipped with ESP Distronic autonomous intelligent cruise control goes into production Side curtain bags (E-Class sedans) ZAS automatic cylinder cut-out introduced in S 600 and CL 600 CDI turbodiesel engines fitted in the van segment |
| 2000 |
World's most powerful passenger car turbodiesel fitted in the S 400 CDI
CL 55 AMG F1 Limited Edition is first roadgoing vehicle with ceramic brakes TeleAid emergency calling system (2000 S-Class and CL-Class) Smart front air bag, deploys in partial or full force, dependant on impact (S-Class) Telligent proximity control, Telligent stability control, Lane Assistant (Actros) Sprintshift automated manual transmission for Sprinter vans New-generation Unimog with cab made of fibre composites, VarioPower high-performance hydraulics and VarioPilot transferable steering Window bags for vans |
| 2001 |
Sensotronic braking system (SBC) debuts in new SL
Mercedes-Benz Unveils PRE-SAFE Occupant Safety Concept at IAA DriveBy InfoFueling Research car introduced at Comdex F400 Carving Concept car with 1.28 lateral g's, 30% more than sports cars |
| 2002 |
SBC, Airmatic DC, adaptive front airbags, dual stage belt force limiters on new E-Class
Milestone in the history of steering: steer-by-wire approved for Unimogs Direct gasoline injection engines introduced, 1.8 liter M271 four cylinder family ESP® on commercial vans up to 3.5 tons, the 2003 Sprinter PreSAFE® occupant safety system debuts on the S-Class |
| 2003 |
World's first seven speed automatic 7G-Tronic debuts
Bi-Xenon active curve-illuminating headlamps; corner illuminating front foglamps F 500 Mind diesel electric Li-Ion hybrid concept shown in Tokyo Voice recognition expands to 3000 words including navigation address input |
| 2004 |
S-Class V6 gasoline electric hybrid was exhibited
Adaptive shock absorber debuts on new A-Class and B-Class New twin cam four valve 3.5 liter M272 V6 introduced on new SLK Sprinter hybrid and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) commercial vans debut in Hannover |
| 2005 |
S400 diesel electric two mode hybrid concept vehicle shown
Active NECK-PRO® crash-responsive head restraint introduced BlueTEC® Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) debuts on the Actros Bionic Concept vehicle with BlueTEC® SCR shown in Washington DC Vision SLK 320 CDI Triturbo shown in Geneva B-Class F-cell fuel cell vehicle introduced in Geneva New V6 OM642 turbodiesel achieves FIA world record endurance drive Diesel particulate filters become standard on all passenger car diesels in 4 countries S350 Direct Hybrid and S320 BlueTEC Hybrid shown at IAA COMAND clickwheel, Nightvision, twin cam 5.5 liter M273 V8 debut on new S-Class AMG introduces 6.3 liter naturally aspirated M156 V8 F600 Hygenius fuel cell research vehicle shown in Tokyo |
| 2006 | BlueTEC® clean diesel technology for passenger cars shown
UHI/MHI modular handsfree communication system incl Bluetooth debuts Spray-guided second generation direct gasoline injection V6 introduced in Geneva |
| 2007 | Vision GL420 BlueTEC Power SUV study shown
Twelve cylinder S600 cabriolet Ocean Drive concept revealed Mercedes introduces the Vision C220 BlueTEC in Geneva smart cdi launches with 3.3 l/100 km as world's most efficient production car Mercedes shows F700 luxury sedan research vehicle with PreScan |
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striving perfect |