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Steam-powered vehicles were being used. People wanted ways to travel other than horseback, a faster way that could cut travel time into a fraction of what it used to take to get from point A to point B
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Henry Ford introduced the model T. The model T was affordable due to its use of the assembly line to cut production time and cost. Many people began to get vehicles as they became more affordable to the common household.
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As time went on and people began getting used to the idea of many vehicles driving around, it was only a matter of time before better safety and more innovations would be introduced. The electric starter was invented in 1912. This eliminated the need for the original crank start that vehicles had, which was much more difficult to use than using a key. Windshields began using glass that was much stronger, reducing injuries from broken glass.
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The introduction of the seatbelt was created as another safety innovation. It was originally created in the late 19th century, but it wasnt used in many vehicles until 1959. This created another safety measure to ensure the safety of the operator.
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A law was created in 1968 that made it so cars must be manufactured with seat belts and that they were to be worn by the people in the vehicle. The law was not to wear the seat belt but that that they must be manufactured with one. It wasnt until 1984 that it became a law to wear one.
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The turn of the century changes the focus from vehicle safety to eco-friendliness. Vehicles now have many safety measures that are made to ensure the safety of the passengers, but a new problem arises relating to the pollution that vehicles are putting off. The introduction of hybrid vehicles is being introduced. These vehicles run on less fuel and use electricity to make up for the rest of the power the vehicle needs to run.
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Tesla along with many other top vehicle companies have began production of eletric cars. The goal of these cars is to lower the dependency of fossil fuels. Many of these vehicles are also becoming "hybrid" when it comes to the driving aspect. Automatic braking, self-driving and auto climate control is becoming a thing as we continue to look for more ways to improve safety of driving.
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We may have a better idea now of what future vehicles may look like. Unlike the movie Back to the Future (1985) we now know that flying cars probably wont happen anytime soon. Something that could happen is the full use of electric to power not only our cars but also also our machinery and planes. We may also even see self-driving cars that could even be used as a "valet" driver.