Technological Change in Transportation

The first automobile with a combustion engine was developed in 1906 allowing people to travel from place to place without relying on an external force. The car essentially replaced the horse and buggy but by today’s technological standards it was a crude machine with very limited capacity. Jean Lenoir patented the internal combustion engine auto in 1860. Daimler and Benz produced the first gas powered auto in 1885. Electric autos were produced in 1891 by William Morrison, and were the first major improvement over steam engines. However, gas and petrol autos were mainly produced: Ford designed the Model T in 1903 and it was mass produced in 1908. General Motors further developed the auto by increasing its speed and making it sturdier using coil spring suspension which was introduced in 1934. Prior to that, however, the car radio had been placed in the auto, allowing drivers to tune into radio broadcasts from radio towers so long as they were within range of the signal. Today, cars are outfitted with satellite antennae to receive Sirius XM’s satellite signals—but in the 1930s, a car radio was a huge leap forward in terms of enjoyableness.
The first car keys appeared in 1949, giving people more protection (they replaced the electric starter and ignition switch. Power steering arrived two years later, giving people greater control over their vehicles (few people today know how difficult it can be to maneuver a car that has no power steering). Two years after that, in 1953, the first air conditioned car appeared, increasing the comfort level of driver and passenger. Chrysler was dominant at this period with all of its innovative technological changes to the automobile.
Cruise control was introduced in 1958, followed by seat belts in 1959 (introduced by Volvo but given to all car makers to help save lives). Electric windows appeared in the 1960s along with intermittent windshield wipers; cassette players were introduced in the 1970s along with anti-lock brakes (the ABS system) and the catalytic converter, which helped to detoxify the exhaust fumes before releasing them into the air. Digital dashboard displays were also installed during this same decade.
Air bags were installed in 1988 and first provided only for the driver but today they are installed for both drivers and passengers in both the front and back seats. Parking sensors were produced in 1992, which helped to provide drivers with more support when trying to park without hitting other things. On board diagnostics were introduced in 1994 to facilitate the car’s ability to self-diagnose and identify problems needed for repair.
In 2000, GPS satellite navigation systems arrived in cars to help provide drivers with directions while on the go. Hybrid cars were also introduced this year with the Toyota Prius being the first hybrid car that used a combination of gas and electricity to power the vehicle. Digital technology continued to enhance the vehicle, however, and Bluetooth technology was included in car interiors in 2001. Back-up cameras appeared the following year to help drivers see what was right behind them. Cars then began to become semi-autonomous with automatic parking appearing in 2003, which allowed cars to literally park themselves without driver assistance. More autonomous features followed in the 2010s—such as the autopilot, marketed by Tesla, lane departure warnings, and finally the self-driving car, which can now be seen on roads, though the prototype is still technically in the development stage. So after a little over 100 years, the auto is now being driven literally by itself (Jardine, 2018).

References
Jardine. (2018). History of car technology. Retrieved from
https://news.jardinemotors.co.uk/lifestyle/the-history-of-car-technology