MOTOR CARS LIKE CIGARS

Hawera Star, Volume L, 20 December 1930, Page 18

MOTOR CARS LIKE CIGARS

SPEEDING UP THE FUTU.HTS. TTG AR-STI APED projectile capable of speeds in excess of .100 mates an hour, practically dead silent, luxuriously comfortable, and with an engine as small sis the present-day gear-box—-that is a picture of the .sort of motor ear our children will ride in, according to Professor A. AI. Low, the wellknown scientist. Professor Low discussed with a “Sunday Chronicle” representative the motor car cf the future. Among his prophecies of the features of the’ car of, say, 1960, are the following:— Effortless control, all driving operations being engine assisted. Super comfort, enabling passengers completely' to relax. ,

Supreme' safety, the result of the use of flexible glass, undreamed of protective devices, and positive controls. Amazing speed, to he obtained from fife developing of small. super-effi-cient engines, probably of the Diesel type. Looking still further ahead, Professor Low suggested that ultimately road vehicles will also be able to fly. that probably power would be obtained ironi electric cables beneath the roads, and that such things as radio and telephones incorporated *in the vehicles, will be universal. “Every year more and more ears are bought,” said Professor Low. “People who ;> few years ago never imagined that they' could afford to own motorear now find that they cannot imagine life without one. Soon ears will be as common as bicycles. “It is fairly easy to say what the car of the future.' will look like if you lookback on its development. For Instance,

ears have grown lower and faster, safer, and' more comfortable. “These tendencies will continue. Stream-lining will he developed until the car becomes practically cigar-sharp-ed. The power unit will) be more compact. Same day, probably, engines will he taken out and replaced, as accumulators are, instead of being repaired.

“It is not too"fantastic to say that same day cars will be able to take to the air at the will of their drivers. Flexible glass, ‘press-a-button’ controls, and perfect springing will also come.

“Many people say that it will bo impossible to improve our roads to keep par© with the development of the motor car? This is not correct. Already wo have many roads on which 100 m.p.h. is a safe speed, and improved acceleration and deceleration and the positive controls 1 have mentioned will make it safer still.”