Richard Bowie Spikes (1878 – 1965) – Automatic safety brake
Richard Bowie Spikes, who was almost blind then, invented and patented an automatic safety braking system for buses and trucks in 1962. This innovative system was designed to help prevent accidents by automatically stopping the vehicle if it sensed an obstacle ahead. The invention was quickly adopted by school buses across the United States, making them much safer for children. Spikes also held several other patents during his lifetime, including ones for an improved beer tap, an automatic gear shift device, and directional signals for vehicles.