George Baldwin Selden (1846-1922) was an American inventor and lawyer, best known for being the first person to file a patent for an automobile. Born in Rochester, New York in 1846, Selden received a law degree from the University of Rochester in 1869. Although he practiced law for most of his career, he had a keen interest in mechanics and engineering.
In 1879, Selden began working on an invention that would revolutionize transportation. On May 8, 1879, he filed a patent application for his "Road Engine" – a gasoline-powered vehicle that he claimed would be a significant improvement over existing methods of transportation. The patent was granted on November 5, 1895, making Selden the first person to obtain a patent for an automobile.
Selden's patent, which included the concept of an internal combustion engine, was significant in the early development of the automobile industry. However, he never actually produced a functional automobile based on his design. Instead, he formed the Selden Motor Vehicle Company in 1903 to license his patent to other manufacturers, collecting royalties from every automobile produced in the United States.
While Selden's patent caused controversy and legal battles with other automakers, it expired in 1911, and the automobile industry flourished with various innovations. Despite his relatively minor contributions to the actual production of automobiles, George Baldwin Selden played a crucial role in the early history of the automobile industry through his pioneering patent.
