September 1, 1941 – DeSoto introduces automatic hidden headlights
Since the inception of the automobile, engineers have been working to improve it, though they should have stopped after the Curved Dash. While some ideas floundered (automatic seat belts? Yuck), others we're right on point and set the bar for years to come. One such innovation appeared on this day in 1941 when DeSoto launched its 1942 lineup featuring hidden headlights. While Cord can lay claim to being the first American car to use such a feature when it unveiled the 810 in November 1935, they were a bit cranky to use, literally. Each Cord headlight opened via a separate hand-crank, one on each side of the dashboard. DeSoto's electrically operated pop-up headlights marked the first time an American automaker offered this automatic feature to the mass market. Named "Air Foil" lights, ...
