As you cruise effortlessly down the highway today, give a thought to how we got to this moment. First of all… you’re going 55 miles per hour – or way more than that in some states. Those are speeds only dreamed of in the days before the automobile.

In 1804, the fastest speed recorded by a train was a mere 5 mph. Later that century, Karl Benz’s horseless carriage went twice as fast. Immediately after the advent of the automobile, inventors, engineers, and dreamers went to work. Just 19 years after Benz’s 10 mph record, Selwyn Edge hit 100 mph in his Napier automobile.

We take for granted the powerful and efficient engines, smooth rides, reliable tires, and electronic gadgetry in the cars we drive today.  In the early days, small automakers toiled away in tiny shops all around the world, developing new technologies and improving existing ideas. Later, many of them would be pulled into the giant automotive companies, which ruled the marketplace. It wasn’t long before the independents were gone.

And it’s been that way for decades. Automotive giants like America’s Big Three, BMW, Mercedes, Toyota, and others have long been engaged In a “space race,” looking to develop features and styles that will sell the most cars. Of course, research and development can be tremendously costly, and so can change a car’s look, which costs millions in factory retooling. Regardless, automakers tend to offer technologies that might be pleasing to the masses, which leaves a distinct niche in the automotive world.

Enter the Aftermarket Industry, today’s automotive test bed; an incubator for ideas that fulfill the needs and wants of today’s consumers.  Individuals and companies small and large look to fill gaps in the industry where a product is needed to solve a problem. Just as often, the Aftermarket finds a way to add style and personalization to vehicles in a world where mass production and sales numbers have taken away the style and panache we saw in automobiles up through the 1960s.

I believe the inventors and creators in today’s Aftermarket industry are akin TO the tinkerers and pioneers of yesteryear.

As Host and Producer of Motorhead Garage (Sundays at 8:30 am on MotorTrend), I’m constantly impressed by – and perhaps a bit envious of – those who had an idea and then took the leap of faith to build it and bring it to market. I’ve seen one-man and one-woman operations with ideas that they could never sell to Big Auto, but that appeal to a specific niche of car owners.  MotorHead Garage unabashedly showcases the latest in aftermarket gear to make vehicles perform better, look cooler, or last longer.  Just when I think I’ve seen everything, someone walks through the door with an idea I file under “I wish I’d have thought of that.” I thrive on seeing new and innovative products come through the studio.

But more than the products, I admire the individuals who have designed them. I believe the inventors and creators in today’s Aftermarket industry are akin to the tinkerers and pioneers of yesteryear.  Big industry has pushed out the small carmaker, but mass production and homogenization have opened a whole world of possibilities for the Aftermarket. There’s very little chance a ‘little guy” could invent a performance-enhancing device for a car and even get an audience with a big automaker in an attempt to sell it. Today, with special thanks to the internet, television, and social media, the little guy has more than a shot to make it big with his or her invention. Gone are the days of placing a small black-and-white ad in the back of a car magazine. Gone are the days of going door-to-door across the country in an attempt to peddle one’s wares.

We are witnessing a new Industrial Revolution, where home-grown ideas can come to the marketplace and succeed, as long as the person with the idea is willing to take the risk. At Motorhead Garage, I’ve seen ideas succeed, and I’ve seen some fail. I’ve seen plenty of entrepreneurs lose on their ventures, but more often, I’ve seen them succeed to varying degrees. In every case, I admire their ingenuity and want to see their ideas rocket up the charts.

The early days of automobile development must have been an amazing time. Mechanical geniuses like Karl Benz and brothers Charles and Frank Duryea, among others, worked independently, but with the same purpose: to create a machine that would eliminate the need for horse-drawn carriages; a conveyance that would be faster and more reliable than anything man had known before.

Their spirits live on today in the Automotive Aftermarket universe. Yes, Ingenuity and gumption are still the bedrock of the inventor’s creed. And yes, the “little guy” can, once again, invent and bring to market something that can change an industry.

Think of that as you peruse the aisles at this year’s SEMA show. It may take someone 30 seconds to explain to you what their widget does. It may take you just a simple scan across their display to look over the product to see if it interests you. But behind every invention, you’ll find the knowledge to build on an idea, the ability to put pen to paper to design it, and the boldness to build that product and bring it to market.

Take the time to learn someone’s story, and let his or her ingenuity and courage be an inspiration.

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