LEGO introduced its modern LEGO wheel element in 1962, helping builders create more realistic vehicle models.
Before wheels became a standard part of the system, LEGO vehicles could be built with simple improvised solutions, but the dedicated wheel element made cars, trucks and other rolling models much easier to construct. The innovation expanded the range of moving models that children could design.
The wheel became especially important for later LEGO themes and product lines, including LEGO Town, LEGO Technic and licensed vehicle collections. Different tyre and wheel sizes were subsequently developed for different scales and functions.
The year is sometimes confused with the introduction of other major LEGO elements, such as the modern minifigure in 1978 or the LEGO Technic product line in 1977. Those milestones belong to different stages of LEGO’s product history.