It is hard to imagine driving on the roads without other road users indicating their intentions with blinking turn signals but prior to 1938, that is exactly how the world operated. In the April 2022 edition of CAR Magazine, we look at how the automotive arrived at the highly advanced, integrated LED turn signals we use in modern cars today.
It is mandatory for all cars to come equipped with blinking turn signals and has been for quite some time. This action indicates the driver’s intentions toward other road users but that certainly wasn’t the case with the earliest cars.
The original ways of signalling were standard arm and hand signals, the arm straight out for a right turn and the arm bent up at the elbow for a left turn. If you wanted to stop you had to signal that intention as well, by putting your left arm out parallel to the road and angling it downward.
This way of signalling was highly impractical as these hand signals were required in all kinds of weather conditions, this also raised the possibility of the driver’s arm being lopped off by a passing vehicle. This automatically meant other means of signalling were soon to be explored for greater safety and comfort. The turn signal first appeared on automobiles in 1909 but the click sound wasn’t added until the 1930s. Inventor Joseph Bell patented a small electronic device that made a click sound which directed electricity to the outer turn signals.
Buick was the first automaker to add this new technology to its cars in 1938. For the first time in history, cars had turn signals that flashed which also added a new layer of safety for drivers. Other automakers were slow to adopt this technology and it wasn’t until the 1950s that it really caught on and flashing turn signals became standard practice on every new car sold. These turn signals only worked for the rear lights, but this was no doubt a useful invention. In 1940, Buick put signals on the front lights as well, leading directional signals were required on every Buick, LaSalle, Cadillac and Hudson County Club vehicle.
The invention of the turn signal was a major success as it is still being used today, while some of the components have been adjusted over the years, the overall concept of the modern turn signal is very similar to its early days. The most noticeable changes are the seamless design and easy functionality of turning signals, quieter clicking sound in many vehicles and indicators automatically turning themselves off after making a turn. Nowadays we’ve got reliable light-emitting diode (LED) technology for signal lighting and there is still room for future improvements like increased strength and durability.
Signalling is one of the most important and crucial actions you can take as a driver, warning other drivers of your impending moves to minimize hazardous surprises. You might not see a car in your blind spot, but that car driver might see your turn signal start to blink before you move into their lane, giving them time to react and move out of the way.
Find the full story in the April 2022 issue of CAR Magazine.
