Catalytic converters have been around since the 19th century when metal cylinders containing filters coated in platinum, Iridium and palladium were fitted to early French motor cars in an attempt to clean up the smoke coming out of their exhausts. The technology was first patented by Frenchman Eugene Houdry who relocated to Los Angeles in the 1930s and founded a company called Oxy-Catalyst, which fitted catalytic converters to industrial chimneys to combat smog.
Having already fitted his filters to warehouse forklift trucks, by the 1950s Houdry had begun to research catalytic converter technology for use on cars and he secured a patent for his design in 1956. The use of the technology on production cars didn’t become widespread until lead, which blocks the chemical reaction that takes place within catalytic converters, was removed from petrol and the hands of the manufacturers were forced by tightening car emissions regulations.
Today, the overwhelming majority of internal combustion engined cars on the road have a catalytic converter and there are various different kinds fitted to different models. Many cars also have supplementary systems such as exhaust gas recirculation, diesel particulate filters and AdBlue-based selective catalytic reduction technology that work with the ‘cat’ to help clean car exhaust emissions further.
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