Getting a start on auto engines
The starter played a crucial role in bringing motoring to the masses

One of the more humble components in today's high-tech automobiles is a device that hasn't changed much in almost a century. It's something we so take for granted that we're usually only aware of it when it fails, yet we employ it every single time we step into our vehicles - the starter.

This low-tech piece of electro-mechanical gadgetry, which incorporates a simple electric motor and the greasy bits that link it to the engine, was introduced by Cadillac in 1912 and played a crucial role in bringing motoring to the masses.

For an internal combustion engine to start, its crankshaft must rotate so the pistons can compress the gasoline/air mixture in the combustion chambers to the point it can be readily ignited by the spark plugs. Sounds simple, but try to imagine balancing a cell phone in one hand and a large latte in the other while performing the drill laid out in the owner's manual to get a Model T Ford's flathead engine firing on all four:

Not all men and women who wanted to drive were capable of performing this somewhat complex, physically demanding and dangerous chore. And this was usually the standard way to start early automobiles.

The "self-starter" was something of a holy grail for the industry's pioneers, who came up with a number of ideas, most of which proved impractical. One that gained some favour (the American Winton of 1910 used it) was the compressed gas or air starting system. This employed stored compressed air (requiring a separate compressor) or exhaust gas, which was fed into one of the engine's cylinders, forcing the engine to rotate and hopefully begin firing on the remaining cylinders. It was a complex and unreliable approach, but some manufacturers stuck with it even after the introduction of the electric starter. Batteries and charging systems weren't always reliable in those days and the starter, as the single largest draw on the electrical system, often put a strain on their resources.

Henry Leland, who was responsible for the birth of both Cadillac and Lincoln, pressed for a solution to the starting problem following the death of a friend after a Cadillac starting handle struck him. An employee, Frank Johnson, created the first Cadillac electric starter, but it was perfected by a young electrical genius named Charles Kettering.

At the touch of a button, anybody could start an automobile or even a motorcycle (by 1913 Indian was offering an electric starter, although they didn't become common on bikes until the 1970s). By the 1920s the electric starter was standard equipment on most cars, although the starter handle lingered on until the early 1950s with some manufacturers, mainly the British, who still maintained a lingering mistrust of electricity.

Over the years there have obviously been improvements in starter design, with motors getting more compact and powerful, and methods of engagement and disengagement from the flywheel more reliable. On old British sports cars it wasn't uncommon for the mechanism to jam, which meant getting out and rocking the car to free it or applying a wrench to the squared and protruding end of the motor's armature and turning it until it freed. There were also efforts over the years to combine the starter motor and the generator that produces electricity for the vehicle, a notion that is finding favour once again with auto engineers.

There has also been considerable thought given to the ergonomic link between humans and the starter motor. In the early years there was no ignition lock. You flipped a switch to connect the electrics and engaged the starter with a switch on the floorboards operated by the driver's foot or a pull-switch or push button on the dash. The ignition lock then came into being and soon integrated both actions into the twist of a key we're familiar with today, although there were practical and styling issues as to where it was located. First it was in the dashboard, usually on the right of the steering column, although Rolls-Royces and Porsches place it on the left, and Saab on the console behind the gearshift lever. Then it migrated to the steering column, which it also locked. Now it's back on the dash in many cars.

The separate key and starter button are also making a comeback though, adding to the "character" of vehicles such as the Dodge Viper and the new Dodge SRT-10 Viper-engined pickup, Aston-Martin Vantage and the Honda S2000. Mercedes-Benz's new roadster locates the switch under a flip-up latch on top of the gearshift.

Electronics are playing a role too. On a number of vehicles the "key" is a smart electronic device that fits into a slot on the dashboard. You still turn it to the start position, but there's no mechanical link. The key activates the engine management system, which actually starts the engine. There's also a system Mercedes calls Keyless Go that employs an electronic card you don't even have to remove from your pocket that unlocks the doors as you approach and lets you press a button to start the car. And with the remote starting systems now commonly available, you don't even have to be in the car to start it.