Benz patented a two-stroke gasoline engine, a significant invention that was more compact and efficient than existing engines. This patent laid the foundation for his later automotive innovations.

Benz received patent DRP 37435 for the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, widely considered the birth certificate of the automobile. This patent protected his design for a three-wheeled vehicle powered by a gasoline engine.

Benz obtained numerous patents for improvements to his engines, carburetors, ignition systems, and vehicle designs. These patents reflected his ongoing efforts to refine and perfect the automobile.