Who invented the bumper cars?

The inventor of bumper cars is unclear, but several individuals have been credited with their creation. One commonly mentioned name is Max Stoops from San Francisco, who is said to have designed and built the first functional bumper car in the early 1920s. Stoops' invention became popular at amusement parks and carnivals under names like "Dodgem" or "Bumper Cars."

However, it's worth noting that there were other contributions and concurrent developments in the creation of similar rides. For example, a patent for an electric amusement car with a buffer mechanism was filed in 1921 by William H. Riley. Additionally, various amusement ride manufacturers and inventors experimented with different designs and improvements to the concept over the years.

In summary, while Max Stoops is often credited as the inventor of bumper cars, there were likely multiple individuals and companies involved in their development, making it challenging to pinpoint a single inventor.