There have been many changes in the automobile since the introduction of the first “horseless

carriage”. Among other things, we have seen the addition of power steering, power windows, air
conditioning, anti-lock brake systems (ABS), and air bags to protect the driver and passenger in case of
an accident. A car can even have a telephone if the buyer can afford it.

Today, automobile companies are trying to develop cars that use less gasoline- and cause less
pollution. The state of California passed a law which says that by year 2003, ten percent of the cars sold
in that state should make no exhaust pollution. Consequently, there is a great deal of interest in
developing a good electric car. Models of these cars-cars that make no noise and run on batteries-
already exist.

Using computer technology, automobile companies and local governments are also
experimenting with information systems that join together cars, highways, and central information
centers: a computer in the car “reads” sensors on the road and sends information to a central area.
Information about traffic and road conditions is then sent back to the in-car computer. Also, the in-car
computer can help drivers figure out where they are, and how to get to their destination as easily as
possible. These systems, called Intelligent Vehicle/Highway Systems (IVHS), are already being tested in
cities in the United States, Japan, and certain countries in Europe.

According to Popular Mechanics magazine, one day highway travel will be automated from the
time you get on a highway until you get off. A driver “will simply push a button on the computer inside
the car and choose his destination. The computer will then find the fastest way to, say, the office, taking
into account information about current traffic.” The driver will still have to drive the car on local streets.
However, once the driver is on a major highway or expressway, the car will drive itself.