1896 – The First Pedestrian Is Killed by an Automobile
Bridget Driscoll became the first recorded pedestrian killed by an automobile on August 17, 1896, when she was struck by a demonstration car at Crystal Palace in London. The car was reportedly traveling only about 4 mph, but the event shocked a public still adjusting to the idea of motor vehicles sharing space with people, horses and carriages. Driscoll’s death became an early and sobering milestone in road safety history. At the inquest, the coroner reportedly expressed hope that such a thing would never happen again. Instead, the tragedy foreshadowed one of the central challenges of the motor age: how to balance speed, convenience and public safety on shared roads.
1915 – Charles Kettering’s Electric Starter Is Patented
Charles F. Kettering was granted U.S. Patent No. 1,150,523 for an engine-starting device on August 17, 1915, helping formalize one of the most important convenience and safety innovations in early automotive history. Before electric starters became common, drivers had to crank engines by hand, a difficult and sometimes dangerous process that could cause serious injury if the engine kicked back. Cadillac had already introduced Kettering’s electric starter on its 1912 models, making automobiles easier to use and more appealing to a broader range of buyers. The patent marked a key step in the transition from the primitive early car to the modern automobile, where starting an engine became as simple as pressing a button or turning a key.
1968 – Cummins Founder Clessie Cummins Dies
Clessie Lyle Cummins, founder of the Cummins Engine Company, died on August 17, 1968, after a lifetime spent advancing diesel power in American transportation. Cummins founded his engine company in Columbus, Indiana, in 1919 and became one of the great champions of diesel engines for trucks, buses and long-distance travel. He promoted diesel technology through demonstrations, endurance runs and record-setting trips, proving that compression-ignition engines could be efficient, durable and commercially practical. His work helped make diesel power a foundation of heavy-duty transportation. From over-the-road trucks to buses, construction equipment and industrial engines, the company bearing his name became one of the most important engine makers in the world.
1985 – Niki Lauda Announces His Formula One Retirement
Three-time Formula One World Champion Niki Lauda announced on August 17, 1985, that he would retire from racing at the end of the season. Lauda had already lived one of the most extraordinary careers in motorsport, winning championships with Ferrari in 1975 and 1977, surviving a near-fatal crash at the Nürburgring in 1976, and returning to win a third title with McLaren in 1984. His second retirement came after a comeback that had confirmed not only his speed, but his intelligence, discipline and competitive toughness. Lauda would later remain deeply involved in Formula One as an executive and advisor, but his 1985 announcement marked the closing chapter of one of racing’s most remarkable driving careers.
2022 – Dodge Reveals the Charger Daytona SRT EV Concept
Dodge revealed the Charger Daytona SRT Concept on August 17, 2022, previewing the brand’s electric muscle-car future. The concept was designed to show that Dodge planned to carry its performance identity into the EV era, with dramatic styling, all-wheel drive, an 800-volt “Banshee” electric architecture, and a controversial Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust system meant to give the car an artificial performance sound. The name intentionally referenced the 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona, the winged NASCAR legend associated with breaking 200 mph. Whether embraced or debated, the concept marked a turning point for Dodge. It showed that even the most old-school muscle brands would have to reinterpret speed, sound and attitude for a new generation.
