Why didn't this catch on?

[Jim Prower]

The top favorited video on YouTube today was this. The ultimate parallel parking aid.

Genius...though I can actually think of a few fallacies...but genius nonetheless.

 

[HACKr]

It just ruins the 'solidity' of the automobile as I know it. Also, it adds weight and it's lazy, though, it's not like American auto makers back in that day cared about heaviness too much. I'm also not a fan of technology intended to pretty much replace driving skill.

That being said, watching the car do that in that video like, freaked me out. It's just so weird. I get a bit worried that it's going to tip over.

Nice find though. I appreciate the obscurity.

 

[Philly]

I could see that being more difficult to implement on a FWD car.

 

[JCE]

That's just...odd. Cool but odd.

 

[Spacegoat]

That's actually pretty cool.

 

[AlexGTV]

This was back then when mechanics reigned supreme. Today it's technology and if a major facility arises for parking that would be most likely auto-parking with sensors and telemetry guiding the car in place.
It didn't catch on then, it even more so won't catch on today.

 

[AMCNUT]

Wow - that's actually amazing that the lift mechanism and the driveshaft can support the weight of those behemoths. I like the idea, but I can't see Cadillacs, Lincolns, Jaguars, Mercedes, etc. going back to the continental style of spare tire just so they can have some weird (but badass!👍) parking aid.

That being said, I wonder what would be possible with one installed in both the front AND rear ends... the possibilities would be endless!💡

I just hope someone with time, money, and an old car sees this and gets an idea...

 

[RedTransAm]

That being said, I wonder what would be possible with one installed in both the front AND rear ends... the possibilities would be endless!💡

Wicked donuts and endless hooning!

And I like how the 5th wheel even has a hubcap and whitewalls

 

[Sniffs]

it was probably either prohibitavly expensive to engineer at the time, or one of the (then) big four thought they'd lose money.

 

[AMCNUT]

Wicked donuts and endless hooning!

And I like how the 5th wheel even has a hubcap and whitewalls

In the 1950s everything has class... I wish I could say the same nowadays!