Bertha Benz, born Bertha Ringer, was the first person who drove a car over a longer distance.

Wife of Carl Benz, she was the first person to drive an automobile over more than a very short distance. She drove with her 14 and 15 year old sons the newly constructed automobile August 5, 1888 from Mannheim to Pforzheim over a distance of 106 km. Other drives before were short and just trials with other persons helping. She did it without permission of her husband.

Links:

• The famous drive of Bertha Benz in English
• The famous drive of Bertha Benz in German