Fifty years ago, Daimler-Benz created a key part of passenger car safety – the wedge-pin door lock.

This patented piece of safety equipment was introduced into the production of Mercedes-Benz cars a year later and prevented vehicle doors from bursting open or becoming jammed shut in accidents.

The Mercedes-Benz 220 (W 111) was the first car to have the new wedge-pin lock and it is well known for being a milestone vehicle in the history of car safety.

A rigid passenger cell, front and rear crumple zones and the wedge-pin lock made the car a pioneer of safety.

Fitted with a redesigned interior which removed all hazardous corners and edges, the car was the first ever made to have an integrated safety body.

Fifty years on, Mercedes-Benz is continuing its high standards of safety and forging the relationship between passive and active safety.

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class recently received a five star safety rating for adults from Euro NCAP showing the brand and is still a pioneer in road safety.

Explore the Mercedes-Benz B-Class here.