The first long-distance car journey took place in 1888. A thirty-nine-year-old woman drove her own car. Without telling her husband, she drove the car 180 kilometers and back with her two children. What if she ran out of fuel or the vehicle broke down? There were no petrol pumps or workshops along the way. That adventurous journey was without any concern. The driver who made the first long-distance car journey in world history was Bertha Benz, the wife of Karl Benz, who built the world's first motor vehicle.
That car journey was from Mannheim to Forsheim in August. Bertha's home was in Forsheim. She and her children got ready for the journey when the school vacation started. It is said that Bertha set out for the world's first test drive that day. Bertha took her children, Eugene and Richard, with her. Eugene and Richard were fifteen and thirteen years old at the time. He had not told her husband, Karl Benz, about this journey before he woke up. He had written a letter in the kitchen for him to read. When Karl Benz woke up and realized that the car was missing, his wife realized that there was no train, but that she had gone to Forsheim, 180 kilometers away, in a car she had built.
Although we rely on cars today for comfortable travel, it goes without saying that the world's first car was not like that. The vehicle, called the Men's Patent Motorwagen, was a three-wheeled vehicle with an engine attached to the back. It was built using steel tubes. It also had wooden panels. Another special feature was rubber tires. It is described as the world's first usable motor vehicle. The vehicle was launched on the market in 1888, following Bertha Benz's first long-distance journey.
Bertha Benz's long journeys were not as comfortable as those enjoyed by many in modern cars today. The car often broke down. When the fuel line was blocked and the car stalled, she used a hairpin to remove the blockage and continued on her journey. When the ignition failed, she used a piece of clothing to straighten it. With the help of a blacksmith, she repaired the car's chain when it broke. When the fuel ran out, she bought a chemical solution from a drugstore and poured it into the car and continued on her journey. As the journey continued, the car lost its brakes. After the car had traveled a long distance, the brakes, which were made of wood, became ineffective. With this, Bertha approached a shoemaker and asked for help in making a leather cover for the wooden brake system. This is how brake linings became a part of motor vehicles. Since the car often did not go uphill during long journeys, Bertha and her children had to push the car. Learning from this, Bertha suggested that Karl Benz modify the car's gear system. Karl Benz accepted her wife's suggestion and successfully modified the gear system. During the trip, Bertha and her children saw many people on the road looking surprised and blinking their eyes, not understanding what was happening. As soon as they arrived in Forsheim, she sent a telegram to her husband, Karl Benz. The message was that the car trip had been successful and that she and her children were safe. Bertha told her husband, Karl Benz, that she had driven to Forsheim to visit her mother. However, Bertha's trip had many other goals. The main goals were to give her husband confidence and to prove that the car he had built would be accepted by the public in the future. Karl Benz and Bertha had invested heavily in building the car. However, when the expected acceptance from society did not come, Karl Benz was worried about whether they would be able to make a financial profit from their venture. It was at this point that Bertha embarked on an adventure.
Karl Benz's car was patented in November 1886, two years before Bertha's long journey in 1888. On July 3, 1886, Karl Benz drove his car in front of the public for the first time. The local newspapers reported on the incident. However, the public was not very interested in the first horse-drawn vehicle at that time. The vehicle was generally considered impractical at that time. With this, Bertha set out to prove to the world that the vehicle was suitable for everyday use. The Benz cars that can be seen everywhere in the world today prove that their efforts were not in vain.
Later, in 1906, Karl Benz started the family business under the name Benz & Sons. Later, after ensuring the success of Benz cars through long-term efforts, Karl Benz passed away in 1929. Bertha Benz also said goodbye to the world in 1944. The house where they lived is today used for the needs of the Daimler & Benz Foundation, a charitable organization.
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