Think you know everything about cars? Think again. From the surprising origins of everyday features to mind-bending statistics about the global motor industry, the automotive world is full of facts that seem too strange to be true. Here are fifteen that'll give you something to talk about on your next long drive.

1. The average car has about 30,000 parts

Next time you think your car is simple transport, consider this: a typical modern vehicle contains around 30,000 individual components. That's 30,000 things that could theoretically go wrong. Suddenly that occasional warning light doesn't seem so surprising. The complexity explains why car manufacturing remains one of the most sophisticated industrial processes on Earth.

2. The new car smell is actually toxic

That distinctive 'new car smell' everyone loves? It's actually a cocktail of volatile organic compounds off-gassing from plastics, adhesives, and fabrics. Studies have detected over 50 different chemicals contributing to the scent. While generally harmless in small doses, some manufacturers now specifically engineer interiors to reduce these emissions. Sorry to ruin the magic.

3. More people die taking selfies than from shark attacks

This isn't strictly a car fact, but it's relevant: distracted driving kills thousands annually, and phone use is a major factor. Meanwhile, sharks kill about five people worldwide per year. Your phone is statistically far more dangerous than any ocean predator. Something to remember next time you're tempted to check a notification while driving.

4. The inventor of cruise control was blind

Ralph Teetor, who invented cruise control in 1948, was completely blind. He was inspired by the jerky driving of his lawyer, whose inconsistent speed during conversations drove Teetor mad. Unable to drive himself, he nevertheless understood perfectly what good driving should feel like - and invented technology that millions now use daily.

5. It would take less than a month to drive to space

If you could drive straight up at motorway speeds, you'd reach space - defined as 100km altitude - in under an hour. The Moon would take about six months at 70mph. These calculations ignore minor issues like gravity, the lack of road, and the absence of oxygen, but they do put cosmic distances in perspective.

6. White cars are statistically safer

Multiple studies suggest white vehicles are involved in fewer accidents than darker-coloured cars. The theory is simple: white cars are more visible, especially in low light conditions. Black cars, by contrast, show up as statistically more accident-prone. Something to consider next time you're choosing a colour - though admittedly 'slightly safer' isn't the most exciting sales pitch.

7. The world's most stolen car changes every year

Car thieves follow trends. Whatever's popular, plentiful, and easy to steal tops the charts. In the UK, Ford Fiestas frequently appear on most-stolen lists simply because there are so many of them. Range Rovers attract thieves for different reasons - high values and demand for parts. Your car's theft risk depends as much on fashion as security features.

8. The first car accident happened at 4mph

In 1891, James Lambert of Ohio City crashed his single-cylinder gasoline automobile into a tree root, hit a hitching post, and careened into a building. His speed? An estimated 4mph. He suffered minor injuries. It took precisely no time at all for humans to start crashing cars - the very first journey apparently wasn't even completed.

9. There are more cars than people in Los Angeles

LA has approximately 6 million registered vehicles for 4 million residents - about 1.5 cars per person. The city was essentially designed around the automobile, with freeways cutting through neighbourhoods that would have public transport elsewhere. Britain hasn't quite reached these levels, but we're working on it.

10. Volkswagen makes more sausages than cars

This sounds made up, but it's true. Volkswagen's factory in Wolfsburg produces its own brand of currywurst, and annual sausage production exceeds vehicle output. The sausages have their own part number in VW's system and are sold in the staff canteen and factory shop. German efficiency apparently extends to meat products.

11. The average Brit spends over four years of their life in cars

Add up all those commutes, school runs, shopping trips, and holiday journeys, and the typical British driver spends approximately four years and one month behind the wheel over their lifetime. That's four years of radio, traffic jams, and wondering why nobody else seems to know how roundabouts work.

12. Car tyres contain approximately 200 ingredients

A modern tyre isn't just rubber. The recipe includes steel, nylon, polyester, silica, sulphur, and around 195 other components. Different manufacturers guard their exact formulations like state secrets. Next time you look at a tyre and think 'that's just rubber', remember there's more going on than appears.

13. The shortest road in Britain is 5.1 metres long

Ebenezer Place in Wick, Scotland measures just 5.1 metres - about the length of a Ford Focus. It has one address: the door to a local bistro. Despite its size, it's a legitimate public road, complete with its own street sign. Getting lost on it would be genuinely impressive.

14. Windscreen wipers were invented by a woman

Mary Anderson patented the windscreen wiper in 1903 after observing streetcar drivers struggling in sleet, constantly stopping to manually clear their windscreens. Her invention was initially mocked by manufacturers who thought the wipers would distract drivers. Within a decade, they were standard equipment. Sometimes the doubters are simply wrong.

15. Your car's steering wheel is dirtier than a toilet seat

Studies have found that the average steering wheel harbours approximately 700 bacteria per square centimetre - roughly nine times more than a typical toilet seat. Door handles, gear sticks, and radio buttons aren't much better. Hand sanitiser and regular cleaning suddenly seem more appealing, doesn't it?

The more you know...

Cars are endlessly fascinating once you look beyond the basics of getting from A to B. Whether these facts make you view your vehicle with fresh appreciation, mild concern, or just give you pub quiz ammunition, they're a reminder that the machines we use daily have stories worth knowing. Even if some of those stories involve sausages and bacteria.