Spikes, Richard B.
1878-1963 · Contribution: 1907-1962
Automatic safety brake system for vehicles; multiple automotive safety devices
Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Impact on the world
His automatic brake safety system and signaling devices improved vehicle safety standards that influenced later automotive engineering.
Life & background
An inventor who held eight patents across his lifetime, Spikes is best known for the automatic gear shift (patented 1932) and an automatic brake safety system, alongside other automotive safety innovations including a directional signal device.
Sources
- WSAV-TV; Black inventor compilations
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