Florence Lawrence - the first mechanical turn signal: Though she was best known for her roles in nearly 250 films,
Lawrence was also an inventor: She designed the
first “auto signaling arm,” a
mechanical turn signal, along with the
first mechanical brake
signal.Her mother
invented a patent for a type of windshield wiper in 1917, while
Lawrence invented the first car turn signal, or “auto-signaling arm,” and the brake signal for automobiles. However,
Lawrence did not patent her inventions and
did not receive any profits from her work.
