Ransom Eli Olds (June 3, 1864 – August 26, 1950) was a pioneer of the
American automotive industry, for whom both the
Oldsmobile and
REO brands were named. He claimed to have built his first
steam car as early as 1894 and his first gasoline-powered car in 1896. The modern
assembly line and its basic concept is credited to Olds, who used it to build the first mass-produced automobile, the
Oldsmobile Curved Dash, beginning in 1901.