You pull into a rental car lot in a city you don't recognize, toss your bag in the trunk, and head straight to the nearest gas station because the tank is almost empty. At the pump, you discover the fuel door is on the other side of the car. This happens to drivers constantly, and most never realize their own dashboard already had the answer before they even left the lot.
Next to the small gas pump symbol on your fuel gauge is an arrow. It points left or right. It is not there by mistake. According to Automotive News' obituary for him, this detail traces back to Ford designer James Moylan, who died Dec. 11, 2025, in Naples, Florida, at age 80, the Ford Motor designer credited with inventing the fuel gauge arrow that shows drivers which side of the vehicle to refuel. The obituary explains how his short internal memo became one of the most helpful yet rarely mentioned features in modern cars.
