http://autos.sympa...an-you-think/1#glr

I definitely think more towards Chrysler than Nissan when I think about talking cars. That was a pretty awesome feature my Daytona had.

I wonder what one of those cassette based navigation systems goes for on ebay these days...

Was VIC on the Toronado Trofeo related to that Etak system?

I'm surprised they didn't include airbags in that. First introduced in production vehicles by GM in '74.

Interesting article. I knew about a lot of those, but the rain sensors, navigation, and retractable hardtop entries were definitely news to me.

Also the headlights that turned as you drove...I thought the Tucker Torpedo was the first car with those.

I love articles like this, regardless of whether they are about cars, buildings, people, countries or pop cans. I just enjoy history in general.

The Chrysler EVA was the first totally electronic voice alert system. It stored the voices on an EEPROM; same stuff as a See N Say.

The Nissan one was actually had the voices recorded on a small wax cylinder which had markers on it so it knew where to play the right message.

I know Ford and I think it was Wheeled Coach in the 70s tried to develop a mapping system for ambulances that involved this idea of putting a microfiche
with all the fire map book pages and using a ground based radio beacon, a white dot on the map seen by the non-driving paramedic could tell your location. It didn't work well due to the constant bulb changes.

My favorite old but new technology is electronic fuel injection. Both Bosch and Bendix had production systems in the late 50s. The Bendix system was the weirdly named Electroinjector and it while it worked, it required two distributors and the capacitor used in the controller were wax paper so they didn't work well in an engine compartment leading to misfire.

The problem was so bad that Chrysler recalled all 35 dodges, plymouths, chryslers and Desotos and converted the multi-port fuel injection to a carburetor setup. However, two cars escaped this. One car was found in a barn and it took the buyer a few minutes to realize what he had. The car was totally restored right down to the capacitors which were replaced and is nOw doing the whole car collector drive in circuit

Posted by Agent Skelly The Nissan one was actually had the voices recorded on a small wax cylinder which had markers on it so it knew where to play the right message.

That'd be a really neat thing to take apart.

I know Ford and I think it was Wheeled Coach in the 70s tried to develop a mapping system for ambulances that involved this idea of putting a microfiche with all the fire map book pages and using a ground based radio beacon, a white dot on the map seen by the non-driving paramedic could tell your location. It didn't work well due to the constant bulb changes.

Still worked better than any GPS from today I bet. And it couldn't say "Recalculating"!

My favorite old but new technology is electronic fuel injection. Both Bosch and Bendix had production systems in the late 50s. The Bendix system was the weirdly named Electroinjector and it while it worked, it required two distributors and the capacitor used in the controller were wax paper so they didn't work well in an engine compartment leading to misfire.

VW and Porsche started using a fully computerized, and actually pretty reliable injection system (Bosch) in '68 on some cars. Oddly enough with the later watercooled cars, they switched to Bosch CIS, which was semi mechanical with no computer until they introduced CIS-E. I've found CIS systems to be way more problematic than the Bosch D-Jetronic. I don't know why they went back in time like that. The only problem I've seen with the D-Jet on 914s and Type 3s is injectors sticking open after sitting for 5+ years, and cold solder joints failing inside the computer... which was actually a pretty easy fix.

The Beetle switched to electronic fuel injection in '75- but still used air pressure from the spare tire for your windshield washers.

Posted by arntzville I'm surprised they didn't include airbags in that. First introduced in production vehicles by GM in '74.

My grandfather bought a new Cadillac in 1974. He said that they tried to sell him on the airbag option, but at the time it sounded like extra money spent to have a bomb pointed at your face, so he declined.