Bertha Benz

Bertha Benz was a pioneering automotive figure who, in 1888, undertook the first long-distance journey by car, driven by her husband Karl Benz’s invention. Without modern roads or gasoline stations, she traveled over 100 kilometers (about 62 miles) from Mannheim to Pforzheim in her husband’s Benz Patent-Motorwagen. Her trip demonstrated the vehicle's practicality, helping to popularize the automobile and advance its development. Bertha’s ingenuity, determination, and hands-on problem-solving proved vital in demonstrating the potential of motor cars, earning her recognition as a trailblazer in automotive history.