Century of automobile comfort and convenience

In the early days of the automobile, the driver and the passenger adjusted themselves to the car. Now the car adjusts itself to them in the most remarkable ways. In this, the use of power-operated systems and the application of ergonomics or human factors combine to show one of the main ways in which car comfort has advanced over the century. Climate control has advanced as well, from the open touring car to the modern enclosed car with its sophisticated HVAC system. Motoring itself provided more than enough entertainment and adventure in the early days when available, however, radio became an obviously attractive accompaniment to auto travel. This paper describes and reviews the development in car comfort and convenience over 100 years. The century is divided into eight periods, each of which can be seen to have certain common qualities.