Enhancing comfort and convenience

Plenty of work remains to bring new concepts to reality and make existing products so affordable they can join the ranks of ubiquitous helpers such as power steering and brakes.

It began with Cadillac's Kettering electric starter, when carmakers discovered they could use technology to make it easier and more comfortable for people to drive their products. Forty years later saw the widespread arrival of the automatic transmission, saving drivers from the hassle of changing gears and learning to slip a clutch. A decade after that, air conditioning, power steering, brakes, locks, and windows were the height of luxury.

Today, the cheapest economy car includes those features and more, but the same old pattern is at work; expensive luxury cars pioneer new comfort and convenience technology to help set them apart from lesser competitors. As the use of a new technology spreads, its cost falls, making it practical for first mainstream and later even entry-level vehicles.