In 1956, General Motors unveiled a concept car capable of automated driving, envisioning a future where vehicles could navigate highways with minimal human intervention. The Firebird II, showcased at the GM Motorama, wasn’t simply a styling exercise; it incorporated technology intended to allow hands-free operation on specially equipped roadways.
The concept relied on embedding an electronic strip beneath certain highway lanes. Sensors in the vehicle would lock onto this signal, automatically steering the car and maintaining its lane position. Drivers, according to contemporary accounts, could “lean back” and allow the vehicle to manage the journey. The Firebird II also featured a surprising amenity: an orange juice dispenser.
By 1958, the idea moved beyond the showroom and into testing. A 400-foot stretch of highway near Lincoln, Nebraska, was fitted with electric circuits by the state’s Department of Roads, in collaboration with engineers from RCA and General Motors. Specially modified Chevrolet vehicles were then used to demonstrate the automated steering capabilities. The cars successfully navigated the test section, responding to the signals embedded in the pavement.
Across the Atlantic, similar experiments were underway. The United Kingdom’s Transport and Road Research Laboratory utilized a Citroën DS, laying magnetic cables beneath a test track. The DS was able to maintain its course at speeds up to 80 mph, unaffected by weather conditions, demonstrating the robustness of the technology.
The pursuit of autonomous driving didn’t finish with these early experiments. In 1986, German scientist Ernst Dickmanns began developing an autonomously driving Mercedes-Benz, employing computers, cameras, and sensors. Within a year, the vehicle was able to travel on the Autobahn at nearly 55 mph. This progress attracted funding from Daimler-Benz, enabling further research.
The culmination of Dickmanns’ work came in October 1994, outside Paris. His team demonstrated a fully autonomous Mercedes-Benz to a delegation of officials. The vehicles, equipped with cameras, sensors, and onboard computers, navigated city streets in self-driving mode, maintaining lane position, adjusting speed, and responding to road curves without driver input.
