Ralph was typical among automotive engineers, that is his work often goes unappreciated. You might know Ralph Teetor as the inventor of the cruise control, but his long career produced a wealth of inventions and improvements to a number of automotive technologies.

During WWI he developed a new method for dynamically balancing steam turbines in torpedo boats that lead to higher rotational speeds and greater performance. His contributions included many improvements to the automatic transmission, most still in use today. He was one of the most respected automotive engineers of his era, becoming the president of Perfect Circle, a leading manufacturer of piston rings, and served as president of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).

It was his attorney who prompted the invention of the cruise control. Ralph noticed that while driving with him on long trips, the attorney would accelerate while listening and lift when talking, creating an unpleasant rocking motion that nearly made the engineer carsick. Teetor received the patent on his cruise control in 1941, but it was first offered as an option on new cars by Chrysler on the 1958 Imperial. In the past 50 years it has practically become standard equipment on most new cars.

And now, to borrow a phrase from Paul Harvey, for the rest of the story . . .

Ralph Teetor was a brilliant engineer, a successful businessman, and a well respected professional - but it shouldn't be surprising. He had shown early promise; building his own car in 1902 at the age of 12, and learning to drive it around town at speeds up to 25 mph. This was particularly unusual because Ralph Teetor was blinded at the age of five in a shop accident. Ralph Teetor, a man you probably didn't know, who was responsible for some of the automotive technology we use every day, was totally blind.

Think of that next time you slap the cruise control.

 

Thanks for sharing......Very accomplished man.

 

woohoo thank you for cruise control!! woot.

 

i dont' use cruise control T_T

but what a guy . . .

 

Great story, and thx for his contributions!

 

wow he was blind and still built cars, invented so many things
great inspiration story

 

That's because suspensions in those days were so flabby that they offered almost no control at all, even with mild input. Cars rocked back and forth like porpoises and rolled like beach *****.

The last time I took a ride with an old friend of mine who had a classic 1950 Buick Roadmaster, he almost spun it out sideways just making a quick starting-left turn from a stop sign.

 

I use cruise control all the time on the highway. Awesome invention! Can't imagine not having it on long road trips.

 

This probably goes without saying, but don't use it in bad weather, slick roads, poor visibility, areas where the speed limit often varies, or, unless you have a Mercedes-type "adaptive" speed control, in heavily congested traffic, even if the traffic is steadily flowing. And always be ready to take appropriate measures if it sticks or malfunctions, which can be dangerous.