"They don't make cars like they used to" is a phrase that almost every gearhead has heard a few times in their lives, particularly from older people. Although the phrase is typically used to falsely suggest that modern cars are worse than those of the past, it's 100 percent true. If you compare the best cars of the '90s with modern ones, you'll see just how much automotive technology has advanced in a few years.
Today, we have cars equipped to drive themselves for hundreds of miles without any human intervention — something that seemed only possible in Sci-fi movies two decades ago. Thanks to stiff competition in the automotive industry and the brilliance of engineers, designers, and other experts, cars are more advanced than ever before. Read on as we explore some of the greatest automotive technologies of all time.
10 Turbocharging
The 1960s will be remembered as a period of great transformation within the automotive industry. With a fuel crisis looming and governments cracking down on harmful emissions from cars, manufacturers were forced to reduce the sizes of their engines. To generate the same amount of power from smaller engines, manufacturers turned to turbocharging.
Turbocharging was not a new technology in the '60s. The technology was first patented in 1905 and was used in warplanes and ships since. Since automakers started using turbochargers, the fastest supercars have all had two or more turbochargers.
9 GPS Navigation
In the past, drivers had to use physical maps or ask for directions to get around unfamiliar places. That changed in 1990, when Mazda used the Global Positioning System (GPS) in a car for the first time.
The US government initially developed the GPS for use by the military. However, it was soon made available for civilian use and is now integrated into many modern technologies, including smartphones and cars. These days, most cars come with GPS straight from the factory.
8 Three-Point Seatbelts
When it comes to vehicle safety, one of the most important inventions has been seatbelts. Seatbelts keep drivers and passengers in place during a sudden stop or change in momentum, preventing serious injuries or death during accidents.
The three-point seatbelt system was developed by Nils Bohlin and was first used in the 1959 Volvo 122. Volvo later made the patent for the three-point seatbelt system open-source, allowing other manufacturers to use it. According to the NHTSA, seatbelts save almost 15,000 lives every year.
7 Anti Lock Brakes
Anti-lock brakes — sometimes referred to as anti-skid braking systems — are actually a pretty ancient piece of automotive engineering. Although modern systems became popular in cars from the '70s, the technology actually dates back to 1908.
Modern systems are designed to prevent the wheels from locking up during hard braking, helping drivers maintain control of the car. Cars with anti-lock brakes have sensors at each wheel that detect when any wheel stops rotating. The system regulates brake pressure at the wheels to prevent wheel lockup and skidding.
6 Electronic Stability Control
After manufacturers saw the positive impact of anti-lock brakes, they went back to the drawing board and came up with an improvement of the system — electronic stability control. ESC works by helping drivers stabilize their car when it detects a momentary loss of control.
The ESC system comes with sensors that detect understeer and oversteer, then automatically apply throttle or brakes to individual wheels to counteract the problem. ESC was first used in the best luxury cars of the '90s, but is now a legal requirement in all new cars in the US.
5 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are electronic technologies designed to help drivers in driving and parking functions. These systems use cameras and sensors to detect other vehicles, pedestrians, traffic signs, lane lines, and other obstacles.
For example, Lane Keep Assist systems ensure that a vehicle stays in its lane and warns the driver when they veer off their lane. Blindspot monitoring systems warn drivers when a vehicle is in their blindspot, so they can make lane changes safely. Other ADAS include forward collision warning, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and more.
4 Automatic Transmissions
An automatic transmission is a multi-speed transmission that doesn't require any driver inputs to change forward gears when driving. It makes it easy for almost everyone to drive. There are several types of automatic transmissions, including hydraulic automatic, continuously variable transmission (CVT), automated manual transmission (AMT), and, our favorite, dual-clutch transmission (DCT).
While the automatic transmission has made it easier to drive, many gearheads argue that it makes driving less engaging. However, this couldn't be further from the truth. There are many automatic cars that are just as fun to drive as manual cars.
3 Power Steering
Power steering — also known as power-assisted steering — is another fantastic invention that has made driving much easier and more pleasurable. A power steering system uses electric or hydraulic actuators to reduce the effort needed to turn the steering wheel, especially when at low speeds.
Power steering was first patented in the late 19th century, but was never put into production. The first practical power steering system was developed by Francis W. Davis in 1926 and was first used in the 1951 Chrysler Imperial.
2 Electric Powertrains
Electric cars are the most trending topic in the automotive industry these days, but the technology is older than most gearheads think it is. The first electric vehicles were developed in the late 1800s, but they were too slow and impractical to match gas-powered cars.
After almost a century of no electric cars, GM developed the first all-electric modern EV — the GM EV1. The EV1 was quite a disappointing car — it had long charging hours and just 70 miles of range — but it was the foundation for the EV revolution that started a decade later. Today, we have many amazing electric car models from old and new manufacturers.
1 Keyless Entry
In the past, you needed the traditional metal key to unlock and start your car. These keys were cumbersome and easy to lose, which is why manufacturers replaced them with smart key fobs. When the driver has a smart key fob in their pocket, their car doors will unlock automatically when they approach the car. Once inside, starting the car is as easy as pressing a button.
Smart key fobs have served us for the last four decades, but even they may soon be replaced by more advanced technologies like smartphone apps and biometrics.