From Assembly Lines to Electric Cars: The Visionary Legacies of Ford and Musk

On Oct. 1, 1908, Henry Ford’s first Model T rolled off the assembly line, a complete revolution not only for its impact on the consumer but also in the way that the industry functioned. As we sit here in October 2024, a modern-day Henry Ford, otherwise known as Elon Musk, has placed himself smack dab in the middle of the political arena through his outspoken support of Donald Trump. 

The purpose of this column is not to get political about the upcoming election but to recognize some parallels between these two icons, separated by a century, in the way that one transformed the world many years ago, and the other is transforming the world right before our eyes. A few years ago, we were all in awe of this brand-new electric vehicle and, even more recently, those futuristic cyber trucks that we see every now and then on the roads (they’re interesting-looking, aren’t they?). 

Years ago, the miracle of the assembly line structured the workplace for decades and changed the very fabric of our communities by mass-producing the automobile that now led to the development of suburbs, fulfilling Ford’s vision of cheaper transportation for all. 

Now, we fast-forward about 100 years later to when the first Tesla rolled off the assembly line. This monumental moment revolutionized modern transportation by driving electric vehicles into the mainstream and attempting to reverse, or in some ways continue, Ford’s impact on our society. 

Much like Ford didn't stop with just the assembly line, Musk continues to influence our society, culture, and/or politics in countless ways. It’s interesting to see what he will do next.

Ford was a polarizing figure in his day, just like Musk is divisive today. Men who have this type of impact are bound to have enemies as well as supporters — after all, you simply can’t please everyone, right? Ford, in the industrial areas of his era, preferred to influence politics and policy behind closed doors. But Musk is attempting to create a platform of free and public conversation that is bound to have positive and negative impacts that come with that. 

Just like the Model T set the foundation to put the horse-and-buggy industry out of business and impact American business and culture in other ways, the same is true with Musk and Tesla. It’s amazing to see the far-reaching ramifications of people with big visions and where they can take them — in both positive and negative ways! 

Where will we go from here?