Increasing auto innovation
Vehicle updates make riding an experience
Automobiles are engineering marvels. Modern vehicles are increasingly equipped with sophisticated electronics, and even more impressive engineering, designed to keep passengers safe, comfortable, and even entertained. The car gets you to the destination, but increasingly, to some extent, it seems like the car is the destination.
The driver, fortunately, is limited to music for his or her entertainment, while the passengers can go online, watch movies, play games and more. A far cry from the amenities offered a century ago, when the driver had to hand-crank the engine.
Here’s a look back at how we went from a basic frame with four wheels and headlights, to the nearautomated vehicles of today that provide an activity-packed ride for passengers and a stress-free driving experience for the people behind the wheel.
America’s first car, the Ford Model T, could be had for a few hundred bucks. It had a 4-cylinder, 20-hp engine that could get to a top speed of about 40 mph.
But car technology began advancing immediately; the handcrank was replaced by an electric starter in 1919. Electric, rather than fossil-fueled lights. Brakes on the wheels, rather than on the transmission or merely to park. Wheels made of metal, rather than wood.
Clearly, things are better today.
But some automotive changes were slow to take root. Take one of the most basic: seat belts.
The concept of a safety belt had been around a long time, but a little over 50 years ago, not that many cars had them. Those that did usually had simply lap belts. The standard three-point belt you’ll find in every production car today first surfaced with Volvo models in 1959.
It wasn’t until 1984 that wearing safety belts was mandated. New York was the first to implement the legislation, and New Hampshire is the only state that still doesn’t require motorists to wear seat belts.
Nobody wants to go back to a time without seat belts.
Another post-War improvement was power steering. Automotive engineers use high-stress testing situations to find out if their ideas work. World War II was a great proving ground; so were the racetracks. Real-road testing of engineering components pushed to the max have always made racing important to manufacturers.
In the ’50s, the phrase “Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday” was adopted by manufacturers who would allegedly see an instant spike in sales if their Pontiac, Chevrolet or Chrysler won a race the preceding weekend.
Branding is also important to manufacturers
— they spend millions every year marketing to racing fans. But the tracks also provide launching pads for innovation. Most cars have automatic transmissions now. That’s a technology that was developed through racing, because manual shifting is slower and error prone.
Keyless ignition is another automotive feature that has racing roots.
In racing, extra weight is a serious performance impediment. Every pound a car can shed helps its performance. This is true for production vehicles as well. Not all of the improvements made in achieving government-mandated fuel efficiency goals has been accomplished by building better engines. Some of it is as simple as weight reduction. It’s why the components we see in vehicles have more plastic and aluminum than ever before.
Anti-lock brakes are another relatively recent technological advance, having only become standard equipment in the last 25 years. Before then, when a car’s wheels began to spin, drivers would “pump” the brake pedal repeatedly in an attempt to slow the car down. If a driver stomped on the brakes, it was possible for a car’s wheels to lock up, which would create a scenario where the vehicle would only stop when the skidding was done.
Modern anti-lock brakes use sensors attached to each wheel to determine the severity of the spin. The car’s system then selectively brakes as needed at each wheel to make sure all wheels are spinning stably, slowing the car down and returning control to the driver.
One automotive advance was implemented not necessarily for people in cars, but outside of them. The catalytic converter was mandated by the federal government starting with the 1975 model year as a way to cut down on vehicle emissions, which had become an issue in crowded urban areas like New York and Los Angeles.
Catalytic converters basically oxidize carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons to produce carbon
dioxide and water. The results are in the clearer skies. Older cars often need catalytic converters replaced; these cost up to $1,000.
Speaking of low emissions, hybrid electric vehicles are relatively new — Toyota unveiled the Prius in Japan in 1997. These cars have combustion engines, but also battery power. Upon introduction, the hybrids had serious challenges: Not much range, batteries too large. But since then, more than 12 million hybrids have been sold and most manufacturers have them available.
And, looking forward, the sky appears to be the limit.
Beginning in 2019, all new Volvo models will come equipped with an electric engine. That won’t make the station selling gasoline at $2.599 a gallon very happy.
Automaker Tesla is already there. After five years in the marketplace, the American manufacturer has earned critical kudos and established its viability, with revenue of more than $7 billion in 2016.