Many new car technologies are actually old idea
07-15-15, 07:08 AM
#1
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Many new car technologies are actually old idea
Today's trip into the Wayback Machine:
http://www.philly.com/philly/busines..._old_idea.html
Many new car technologies are actually old idea
Larry Printz, Tribune News Service
Posted: Wednesday, July 15, 2015, 1:50 AM
(TNS)
You climb into your brand new car. After fastening your seatbelt and hitting the starter button, you push another button to put it into gear. Once underway, you adjust the automatic climate control using the screen at the center of the instrument panel. The gas-electric hybrid driveline powers you down the road as traction control ensures that you have maximum grip, even in the rain. You might even adjust the car’s ride using a control on the center console.
Your car seems to have the latest in modern technology, but in actuality every one of these features has been available since the 1980s. In fact, some features in modern cars date back 80 years or more.
What’s new is old, although it took the microchip to allow these old ideas to function flawlessly.
PUSH BUTTON SHIFTING
Today: You’ll find push buttons mounted on the right side of the instrument cluster on the new Lincoln MKC crossover and MKZ midsize sedan as well as on Aston Martins.
Yesterday: The first successful push button shifter could be found on Chrysler products in 1956.
PUSH BUTTON STARTERS
Today: Many new cars employ push button starters used in concert with smart-key fobs. Only lower priced cars still use traditional ignition switches.
Yesterday: Once the electric starter was introduced in 1912, most cars used starter buttons, either on the instrument panel or on the floor. Key ignitions followed later.
GAS-ELECTRIC HYBRIDS
Today: The Honda Insight and Toyota Prius reintroduced the gas-electric hybrid, using electric motors to improve performance without using more gasoline.
Yesterday: The first gas-electric hybrid to achieve any volume was engineered by Ferdinand Porsche for Ludwig Lohner. Like modern hybrids, the Lohner-Porsche Mixte employed electric hub motors, batteries, as well as gas engines and generators. Eleven were sold from 1900 through 1905.
HEAD-UP DISPLAY
Today: Many German automakers are introducing head-up displays in their cars, which project speed and other information onto the windshield in front of the driver.
Yesterday: Used in aircraft since World War II, the feature was first introduced by General Motors in 1988 on Oldsmobiles, lifting the technology from its Hughes Aircraft Division.
ADJUSTABLE SUSPENSION
Today: Many sport and luxury cars have suspensions that employ electronics to adjust a car’s ride and handling at the touch of a button.
Yesterday: Believe it or not, Cadillac introduced the first driver-adjustable suspension in 1933. Named “Ride Regulator,” it had five settings ranging from Firm to Free. The driver adjusted the ride quality using a lever on the left side of the steering wheel.
CYLINDER DEACTIVATION
Today: Honda and General Motors have engines that seamlessly deactivate up to half of an engine’s cylinders when the car is travelling under light loads, such as cruising at highway speed.
Yesterday: In the wake of the second Arab Oil Embargo, Cadillac developed the idea of having its V-8 engine shut down two or four of its eight cylinders under light loads. Debuting in 1981, the engine proved unreliable and damaged Cadillac’s reputation.
HEATED SEATS
Today: Nothing beats a heated seat on a cold winter morning. Some cars, such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, offer front and rear seat heaters, and even heated steering wheels and armrests.
Yesterday: The first production car to offer a heated front seat was 1966 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. A rare option, it was operated by a dash-mounted ****.
COMPUTER SCREENS
Today: Most cars today use touchscreens in the middle of the instrument panel to control climate, manage entertainment and convey information.
Yesterday: The first computer screen in a car was the “Graphic Control Center” in the 1986 Buick Riviera, Cadillac Eldorado and Oldsmobile Toronado. The 3-by-4-inch cathode-ray tube displayed green type on a black background. Automotive journalists griped about it, but GM’s vision proved accurate.
AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL
Today: Only the least expensive cars do not have this feature, and many vehicles have dual, or even multizone, automatic climate control.
Yesterday: Cadillac introduced “Comfort Control” in 1964. It used sensors to maintain the desired temperature by running air-conditioning or heating without driver involvement.
TRACTION CONTROL
Today: Every vehicle today has traction control, which applies the brakes to a wheel that is losing traction in effort to regain it.
Yesterday: Traction control was offered as an option on the 1971 Buick Riviera and dubbed “Max Trac.” Unlike today’s systems that use braking to regain traction, Max Trac limited engine power. However, this system couldn’t meet tightening EPA emission standards. The system was dropped for 1973.
———
ABOUT THE WRITER
Larry Printz is automotive editor writer and editor in Burlington, Vt. Readers may send him email at TheDrivingPrintz@gmail.com.
———
©2015 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/busines...f5FgV6Z6zCj.99
http://www.philly.com/philly/busines..._old_idea.html
Many new car technologies are actually old idea
Larry Printz, Tribune News Service
Posted: Wednesday, July 15, 2015, 1:50 AM
(TNS)
You climb into your brand new car. After fastening your seatbelt and hitting the starter button, you push another button to put it into gear. Once underway, you adjust the automatic climate control using the screen at the center of the instrument panel. The gas-electric hybrid driveline powers you down the road as traction control ensures that you have maximum grip, even in the rain. You might even adjust the car’s ride using a control on the center console.
Your car seems to have the latest in modern technology, but in actuality every one of these features has been available since the 1980s. In fact, some features in modern cars date back 80 years or more.
What’s new is old, although it took the microchip to allow these old ideas to function flawlessly.
PUSH BUTTON SHIFTING
Today: You’ll find push buttons mounted on the right side of the instrument cluster on the new Lincoln MKC crossover and MKZ midsize sedan as well as on Aston Martins.
Yesterday: The first successful push button shifter could be found on Chrysler products in 1956.
PUSH BUTTON STARTERS
Today: Many new cars employ push button starters used in concert with smart-key fobs. Only lower priced cars still use traditional ignition switches.
Yesterday: Once the electric starter was introduced in 1912, most cars used starter buttons, either on the instrument panel or on the floor. Key ignitions followed later.
GAS-ELECTRIC HYBRIDS
Today: The Honda Insight and Toyota Prius reintroduced the gas-electric hybrid, using electric motors to improve performance without using more gasoline.
Yesterday: The first gas-electric hybrid to achieve any volume was engineered by Ferdinand Porsche for Ludwig Lohner. Like modern hybrids, the Lohner-Porsche Mixte employed electric hub motors, batteries, as well as gas engines and generators. Eleven were sold from 1900 through 1905.
HEAD-UP DISPLAY
Today: Many German automakers are introducing head-up displays in their cars, which project speed and other information onto the windshield in front of the driver.
Yesterday: Used in aircraft since World War II, the feature was first introduced by General Motors in 1988 on Oldsmobiles, lifting the technology from its Hughes Aircraft Division.
ADJUSTABLE SUSPENSION
Today: Many sport and luxury cars have suspensions that employ electronics to adjust a car’s ride and handling at the touch of a button.
Yesterday: Believe it or not, Cadillac introduced the first driver-adjustable suspension in 1933. Named “Ride Regulator,” it had five settings ranging from Firm to Free. The driver adjusted the ride quality using a lever on the left side of the steering wheel.
CYLINDER DEACTIVATION
Today: Honda and General Motors have engines that seamlessly deactivate up to half of an engine’s cylinders when the car is travelling under light loads, such as cruising at highway speed.
Yesterday: In the wake of the second Arab Oil Embargo, Cadillac developed the idea of having its V-8 engine shut down two or four of its eight cylinders under light loads. Debuting in 1981, the engine proved unreliable and damaged Cadillac’s reputation.
HEATED SEATS
Today: Nothing beats a heated seat on a cold winter morning. Some cars, such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, offer front and rear seat heaters, and even heated steering wheels and armrests.
Yesterday: The first production car to offer a heated front seat was 1966 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. A rare option, it was operated by a dash-mounted ****.
COMPUTER SCREENS
Today: Most cars today use touchscreens in the middle of the instrument panel to control climate, manage entertainment and convey information.
Yesterday: The first computer screen in a car was the “Graphic Control Center” in the 1986 Buick Riviera, Cadillac Eldorado and Oldsmobile Toronado. The 3-by-4-inch cathode-ray tube displayed green type on a black background. Automotive journalists griped about it, but GM’s vision proved accurate.
AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL
Today: Only the least expensive cars do not have this feature, and many vehicles have dual, or even multizone, automatic climate control.
Yesterday: Cadillac introduced “Comfort Control” in 1964. It used sensors to maintain the desired temperature by running air-conditioning or heating without driver involvement.
TRACTION CONTROL
Today: Every vehicle today has traction control, which applies the brakes to a wheel that is losing traction in effort to regain it.
Yesterday: Traction control was offered as an option on the 1971 Buick Riviera and dubbed “Max Trac.” Unlike today’s systems that use braking to regain traction, Max Trac limited engine power. However, this system couldn’t meet tightening EPA emission standards. The system was dropped for 1973.
———
ABOUT THE WRITER
Larry Printz is automotive editor writer and editor in Burlington, Vt. Readers may send him email at TheDrivingPrintz@gmail.com.
———
©2015 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/busines...f5FgV6Z6zCj.99
07-15-15, 09:51 AM
#4
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
07-15-15, 09:54 AM
#5
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
lots of fail in comparing old and new, e.g.:
while it says today we have push button 'in concert with smart key fobs' the point is the car won't start without the fob present. the 'yesterday' version just begs for the car to be stolen which is no doubt why keys then became the preferred option.
PUSH BUTTON STARTERS
Today: Many new cars employ push button starters used in concert with smart-key fobs. Only lower priced cars still use traditional ignition switches.
Yesterday: Once the electric starter was introduced in 1912, most cars used starter buttons, either on the instrument panel or on the floor. Key ignitions followed later.
Today: Many new cars employ push button starters used in concert with smart-key fobs. Only lower priced cars still use traditional ignition switches.
Yesterday: Once the electric starter was introduced in 1912, most cars used starter buttons, either on the instrument panel or on the floor. Key ignitions followed later.
07-15-15, 11:34 AM
#6
Lexus Fanatic
Good post, tex, but someone in the article forgot ABS. Electro-Mechanical anti-lock brakes were offered in the early 1970s on the Lincoln Continental and Chrysler Imperial.
Here's a few others: Air bags date to 1974-75 Oldsmobiles, but had few takers. Front disc brakes, padded dashboards, center-swivel headlight that turns with the steering wheel, impact-absorbing steering columns, and factory seat belts all date to the ill-fated 1948 Tucker Torpedo (only 51 of them were built).
I learned to drive, BTW, on those Plymouth push-button automatic transmissions in the 1960s....then learned a clutch.
I agree, BTW, that the poorly-designed Cadillac V-8-6-4 engine helped damage Cadillac's reputation during that period (early 80s), but it was not the only serious Cadillac mistake back then. The 5.7L diesel V8 was even more unreliable than the V-8-6-4, the rear-end styling on the 1980 Seville was very controversial, the subcompact Cadillac Cimarron, with 81 HP, was grossly underpowered, and all of their vehicles were plagued with unreliability, poor construction, and squeaks/rattles.
Here's a few others: Air bags date to 1974-75 Oldsmobiles, but had few takers. Front disc brakes, padded dashboards, center-swivel headlight that turns with the steering wheel, impact-absorbing steering columns, and factory seat belts all date to the ill-fated 1948 Tucker Torpedo (only 51 of them were built).
I learned to drive, BTW, on those Plymouth push-button automatic transmissions in the 1960s....then learned a clutch.
I agree, BTW, that the poorly-designed Cadillac V-8-6-4 engine helped damage Cadillac's reputation during that period (early 80s), but it was not the only serious Cadillac mistake back then. The 5.7L diesel V8 was even more unreliable than the V-8-6-4, the rear-end styling on the 1980 Seville was very controversial, the subcompact Cadillac Cimarron, with 81 HP, was grossly underpowered, and all of their vehicles were plagued with unreliability, poor construction, and squeaks/rattles.
Last edited by mmarshall; 07-15-15 at 12:44 PM.
07-15-15, 12:29 PM
#7
Lexus Fanatic
Trending Topics
07-15-15, 06:21 PM
#9
Lexus Fanatic
07-15-15, 06:27 PM
#10
Automatic high beam dimmer. I know this has made a comeback in newer German cars and I think Cadillac offers it again. Starting the in the 1950's, Cadillac offered the "autotronic eye", this sort of pod looking thing that sat on the dashboard. It had a photo-voltaic cell in it, when it sensed the lights from an oncoming car, it automatically shut off your high beams, then turned them back on once the car pasted.
07-15-15, 06:34 PM
#11
Lexus Fanatic
Automatic high beam dimmer. I know this has made a comeback in newer German cars and I think Cadillac offers it again. Starting the in the 1950's, Cadillac offered the "autotronic eye", this sort of pod looking thing that sat on the dashboard. It had a photo-voltaic cell in it, when it sensed the lights from an oncoming car, it automatically shut off your high beams, then turned them back on once the car pasted.
Last edited by mmarshall; 07-15-15 at 06:45 PM.
07-16-15, 08:07 AM
#12
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
Automatic high beam dimmer. I know this has made a comeback in newer German cars and I think Cadillac offers it again. Starting the in the 1950's, Cadillac offered the "autotronic eye", this sort of pod looking thing that sat on the dashboard. It had a photo-voltaic cell in it, when it sensed the lights from an oncoming car, it automatically shut off your high beams, then turned them back on once the car pasted.
).
07-16-15, 10:22 AM
#13
Lexus Fanatic
Yes, the new ones work quite well. They aren't fooled by as many different things as the 1Gen versions were.
07-17-15, 08:25 PM
#14
Yes but it appears they don't have it with their LED headlight system. The GS, LS and RX still have it. (Even the last gen ES had it and had a dual-swivel design where the left and right headlight swivelled at different angles). I guess automatic high beams is the next cool thing and adaptive headlights are fading in the Lexus lineup.
07-19-15, 01:50 PM
#15
Lexus Fanatic
If you mean headlights that actually turn with the steering wheel, Preston Tucker had that feature on his 1948 Torpedo, several years before we saw it on the French Citroens. Of course, the Torpedo, unlike the Citroens, never really reached full production....only 51 were built before Tucker folded.
The third, "Cyclops" center headlight swiveled with the steering wheel at steering inputs of more than 10 degrees. For states that outlawed three headlights, a cover could be fitted to it.
Last edited by mmarshall; 07-19-15 at 01:54 PM.