The pioneering automaker Henry Ford wanted to build a simple, reliable and affordable car that the average American worker could afford. His first attempt had bicycle wheels and a tiller. Many more attempts followed before he eventually succeeded with his Model T, introduced by the Ford Motor Company in 1908. To meet the high demand for his innovative new vehicle, he also developed a new method of mass production—the moving assembly line—and over the next 20 years, built 15 million Model Ts. Today, Ford has phased out most of its passenger cars to focus on its more popular pickups, SUVs, and crossover vehicles.