Starting a car once involved multiple steps and was a dangerous art.
March 30, 2023 at 9:14 p.m. ET
As Michal Velebny, coordinator of the restoration workshops at the Skoda Museum, explains in this video, starting a car is like the machine coming to life. He then gives us a history of the starter motor, illustrating its evolution with a series of vintage cars from the museum’s collection.
The process for starting a 1905 Laurin & Klement Voiturette was complex and involved five steps before turning the crank. It included opening the brass gas tap, moving the spark plug advance lever to start, adjusting the hand throttle, turning a key to turn on the electrical circuit, and checking that the gear level was in neutral. Only then could you turn the crank, which required strength and feel for the engine’s compression cycle.
Hand cranks caused many injuries and were phased out in favor of electric starters in the early 1920s. During this era, Laurin & Klement cars featured an “alternator starter” that used a mechanical device such as a switch or foot pedal to activate the starter. There were still other steps involved, like opening the fuel tap and adjusting the choke, but the process was much easier, safer, and didn’t require leaving the car.
For Skoda, the significant change came in 1964 with the S 1000/1000 MB, which was the company’s first car to start with a key. The steps of turning on the electrical system and activating the starter were done in one motion and became the standard for almost 60 years. Other innovations quickly followed, such as mechanical and electric chokes to replace manual ones.
The keys also underwent many changes. Initially, they were small and simple, making them easy to forge or recreate. Finally, Skoda went to a one-sided key that was harder to copy. Gradually, keys evolved into double-sided keys that were more secure. This innovation led to keys with built-in electronic immobilizers and later keys that allow keyless entry and remote start.
In 2010, Skoda introduced its KESSY keyless system to the Superb, which allowed the driver to leave the key in their pocket and press a start button. This innovation resulted in the most recent start-up process used by Skoda’s electric cars. Now the driver doesn’t even have to push a button, he just gets in and goes.
