In retrospect, historical developments often look straighter than they really were.
The combustion engine and the automobile belong together, from the first Daimler engine vehicle 1886 through to the cars of today. But is this well-worn automobile story really true? In reality, 1900 looked totally different. There were far more automobiles powered by steam or electricity. What was the decisive factor that meant that petrol driven vehicles prevailed more and more, and which finally led to the beginning of the oil age? In all probability this was not only attributable to purely technical reasons. Feelings and emotions have always been closely connected with cars. See for yourself what the automobiles of that time looked like, how the decision in favour of a certain technology was taken and what were the far-reaching consequences of automobility.