The man behind one of the most ubiquitous yet understated features in modern motoring has died. James Moylan, the inventor of the small dashboard arrow that indicates which side of a car the fuel filler cap is located on, passed away on December 11 at the age of 80. His simple innovation, conceived in the late 1980s, has saved countless drivers from awkward moments at petrol stations worldwide.
The Birth of a Brilliantly Simple Idea
It is now almost impossible to imagine a car without the fuel filler arrow, yet prior to 1989, motorists had to rely on memory or guesswork. The story of its invention is one of everyday frustration leading to a stroke of genius. On a rainy day in April 1986, Moylan, then a Ford employee, took a company fleet car to a meeting. When he stopped for fuel, he parked with the wrong side of the car facing the pump.
He only realised his mistake after getting out of the vehicle and getting soaked. This inconvenient experience sparked the idea for a simple indicator that would prevent the same hassle for others. That very same day, Moylan drafted a formal 'product convenience suggestion' for his superiors at Ford. His initial sketch depicted an open fuel door rather than an arrow, but the concept was clear.
From Proposal to Global Standard
In his proposal, Moylan astutely noted the value for multi-car families, pool car users, and especially rental customers. His foresight was rewarded seven months later when he received a response from Ford's then-Director of Interior Design, R F Zokas, confirming the arrow would be added to dashboards in development for the 1989 model year.
True to their word, the 1989 Ford Escort and Mercury Tracer became the first vehicles to feature the now-iconic indicator. The Ford Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar followed closely behind. The feature was an instant hit with drivers and quickly spread across the automotive industry. Within decades, the 'Moylan arrow' became a standard fixture on nearly every production car globally, transcending brands and borders.
A Legacy of Convenience and Colleagues
Despite the arrow's profound impact on the driving experience, Moylan himself was modest about his creation. According to his obituary, he would have said his greatest career accomplishment was the friendships he built with colleagues. His son, Andrew Moylan, told Automotive News, "Dad always chuckled about all the attention the arrow received in later years."
Born in Detroit on December 19, 1944, Moylan joined Ford as a draftsman in body engineering in March 1968. After a brief layoff in the 1970s, he was rehired into plastics engineering, a growing field at the time. He later earned a Bachelor of Science degree in plastics manufacturing from the University of Detroit Mercy in 1999, before retiring from Ford in July 2003 after a career spanning over three decades.
His invention's relevance has endured and even evolved with new technology. Modern hybrid vehicles, which may have a fuel filler on one side and a charging port on the other, often feature indicators for both. Similarly, electric cars with separate ports for slow and fast charging clearly mark their locations, continuing the principle of user-friendly design that Moylan championed.
James Moylan is survived by his wife, Kathleen, and his children Andrew, Elizabeth, and Kara. While he may have chuckled at the fame of his little arrow, its presence on dashboards everywhere remains a quiet, daily tribute to his problem-solving mind.
