History of the Motor Car / Automobile Ignition System

10.10 Ignition

• Charles Kettering (American) invented the electrical starter motor ignition system, testing the first system in a Cadillac car in February 1911.

• The following year the system was fitted to Cadillac cars

• The invention was well received because it did away with the sometimes dangerous hand crank starting of internal combustion engines.

• Kettering was granted a US patent for his invention in 1915.