The American Innovation $1 Coin representing Indiana recognizes the automobile industry. Indiana boasts a long history of innovation in automobile manufacturing and promoting the automobile in American culture. They played a role in the invention, refinement, and manufacture of headlights, rearview mirrors, tilt steering, cruise control, pneumatic rubber tires, and car heaters. Indiana produced a number of auto parts manufacturing companies and automobile producers, including Marmon, Studebaker, Milburn Wagon Works, and Duesenberg.
Indiana also promoted the automobile in American popular culture through car racing. The Indianapolis 500 is one of the world’s oldest automobile races. The creator of the Indianapolis 500, Carl Fisher, also conceived of the Lincoln Highway, the first automobile-specific transcontinental highway across the United States.