Hemmings Motor News has a wonderful section every month called Antique Ads. In their August 2019 issue, this ad appeared from 1957. Out of respect for Hemmings’ copyright to their work, I won’t scan more of the article than this portion of the ad, but take a look.

Looks like what is called an AV (“autonomous vehicle”) right out of today’s headlines, doesn’t it? I sometimes grow weary of automotive companies blathering about autonomous vehicles because I actually like driving small fun cars and having independent control of travel. Freedom of movement is a crucial human political necessity, as well as fun when you have the right vehicle. Will AVs be under strict centralized controls that will make it easy to prevent people, or a certain type of people, from moving, as well as help them move? Food for thought.

In 2019 we still don’t have AVs we can just climb into and be whisked away to the doctor’s office, or to the concert, or to the protests in Hong Kong or France (you think you have problems? Look at what those citizens are facing this year). Whether AVs will arrive sooner, or later, whether they will work in snowy weather in the countryside or just on inner city streets made specific for the purpose, I have no idea. But I like being reminded of how long some ideas take to come to fruition. And how interesting the visions of prior generations may have looked.