YACT: What single invention has impacted the automobile?s development?

[Quixfire]

I was wondering what you other ?gearheads? think which single invention or idea impacted the development of the automobile since it?s conception in the early 1900?s.

My personal choice is the automatic transmission; this device took most of the worry and trouble out of learning how to drive a car. It allowed thousands, if not millions, of people an easy way to enjoy their vehicle.

What is yours?

 

[Fausto]

NOS stickers?

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: Fausto1
NOS stickers?

Dude, each one adds like 20HP!

 

[PowerMac4Ever]

Originally posted by: AgaBooga

Originally posted by: Fausto1
NOS stickers?

Dude, each one adds like 20HP!

good one..

 

[notfred]

Besides the assembly line?

 

[Chadder007]

Plastic. either that or Mexicans.

 

[maziwanka]

i think i may agree with the automatic transmission...

 

[lokiju]

Air Bags
Anti-Lock Brakes
Seat Belts

 

[Crab cake]

Basic high school history -- it's the starter.

 

[AdamDuritz99]

the windshield. Man that thing is pure ingenious.



peace
sean

 

[DainBramaged]

Those rims that spin when you are stopped. Definatly.

 

[damiano]

the wheel?

 

[Chaotic42]

Non-gear head answer:

Seat belts

Edit: I think Quixfire means things that have been added since the first car. So things like wheels and metal aren't applicable.

 

[K1052]

A giant wing bolted to the trunk for downforce while driving around town.

 

[conjur]

Brakes

 

[Vette73]

I think most are missing the BIG picture.... NO car today would work without it.....


FUEL

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: maziwanka
i think i may agree with the automatic transmission...

I'd have to disagree based on the fact that millions of cars are still made without automatic transmissions.

 

[CraigRT]

I'd say power assist brakes and steering.

it would be such a chore driving old cars back from the 1900's without power brakes or steering.. we take it for granted!

there are cars still made without it.. but other than refinement/luxuries, it's a big improvement!

 

[Demon-Xanth]

The Interstate Highway system.

 

[Eli]

Fuel injection and computer metering of the Internal Combustion Engine?

 

[KokomoGST]

radial tires... mebbe EFI...

automatic transmission is very low on my list... same with ABS, even power steering is a tad overrated.

Wait, I change my answer... the coilover (shock/spring) suspension.

 

Hands down it's hydraulic brakes, let's see you stop a vehicle from seventy miles an hour with brakes actuated by cables or linkages.
Second in line would be the steering wheel, imagine steering a modern automobile with a tiller ?

Third would be the pneumatic tire.

 

[Confused]

Automatic transmission?

WTF are you smoking? Automatic transmission is allowing all those boneheads who can't do 3 things at once (lift accelerator, depress clutch, move gear stick) out on the roads. Yeah...real good

I would have to say I agree with KokomoGST, coilovers are a very good invention. <Edit> And Roger, about hydraulic brakes and steering wheels! </Edit>


PAS, PAB, ABS, E/S etc I can all live without, and did until 4 weeks ago.


Oh, and to clarify, I'm now driving an auto, so you can't go take this out of context me saying about putting boneheads on the road, because I can probably drive a manual better than half of you could, and until 4 weeks I had only driven a manual.


Confused

 

[gogeeta13]

probably the invent of modern tires.

 

[Quixfire]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
I think most are missing the BIG picture.... NO car today would work without it.....


FUEL

IIRC Fuel was discovered before we start driving cars.