Henry and Ransom

Contrary to popular belief, Henry Ford was not the first person to mass produce vehicles using the assembly line. In 1902, Ransom Eli Olds adopted a system of moving platforms from another manufacturer, that were pushed along. His vehicles were assembled progressively as they moved down the production line. His 1903 Oldsmobile Curved Dash Runabout was in fact the world's first mass production automobile and was an instant success, with 5,000 being sold in 1904. Ransom Olds left the company that year to found the Reo company. To produce the Model T in 1908, Ford improved on the idea with a motor driven belt.