General Motors celebrate its 500 millionth vehicle

American car manufacturer, General Motors has become the first car company in the world to build 500 million vehicles in its history, which spans 106 years.

To celebrate this historic milestone, the company is putting its customers at the center of the accomplishment. GM believes that their vehicles have played vital roles in weddings, family vacations, graduations, new businesses and countless milestones along life’s journey, and the company has stated that the celebration isn’t about manufacturing prowess, but about the positive experiences their cars have created for people across the world.

At a U.S. event celebrating the milestone, GM CEO Mary Barra spoke of how the company’s vehicles have played vital roles in the lives of its customers – from daily commutes to family vacations, and in milestones such as weddings and graduations – and how GM looks to build on the achievement. GM has also announced that they are planning to sell more than 1,000 new vehicles per hour, 24 hours per day in 2015. That adds up to nearly 10 million vehicles, the most in General Motor’s history.

Founded in 1908, and reborn in 2009, General Motors produces vehicles in 37 countries under thirteen brands. It was first brought on to the world stage in the early 20th Century when Sun Yat-sen, the first president of China, and Pu Yi, the last emperor, took their first automobile ride in a 1912 Buick. By 1931, GM owned Vauxhall in the United Kingdom, Holden in Australia and Opel in Germany.

Hundreds of GM innovations have helped change and revolutionize the automotive industry, including the first V8 engine, first automatic transmission, first automotive crash test dummies and first air bags in a production vehicle.