Vintage 1967 Footage of a Driving Simulator That Combined ‘Cars’ With Projected Road Footage

Vintage British Pathé footage from 1967 features a classroom full of students who are learning to drive sitting at the wheel of non-drivable “cars” that simulated driving with road footage that was projected on a screen. These cars, which bore resemblance to a bumper car, had no motor but did have functioning lights, a gas pedal that made the engine grow louder when it was pressed, and an instrument panel similar to ones found in cars at the time. This simulation system was known as “Drivotrainer”.

A class of 25 sit at the wheel, see the road on the screen and work the simulator controls as if they were actually driving…The system may become general, with every novice starting on the simulator and many more passing the driving test the first time. And for the outside instructors, life won’t be spent on the brink of a nervous breakdown.

via Nag on the Lake

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.