Det er klart at enkelte europeiske produsenter og biler har vært svært fremtidsrettet for sin tid. Et eksempel på dette er Mercedes som du nevner, som tradisjonelt har satset mye på både teknologi og sikkerhet. Citroen er et annet. Likevel mener jeg at en god del (ikke alle vel å merke) amerikanske biler har og vært svært fremtidsrettet. For å ta noen eksempler:
Cadillac Eldorado Brougham
"The Eldorado Brougham introduced many features that were amazing for the time, some of which did not appear on other cars until the late 80's. A seat position memory feature recalled "saved" seat positions for different drivers, a switch in the glove compartment opened and closed the trunk lid automatically, the sun visors darkend in reaction to the brightness of the sun, and common to other Cadillac's of the time an electronic eye controlled the high-beam headlights, dimming them when oncoming light was encountered."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eldorado_Brougham
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_headlight_dimmer
Elektrisk tenning
"Cadillac was the first volume manufacturer of a fully enclosed cab in 1910 and, in 1912, was first to incorporate an electrical system enabling starting, ignition and lighting"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_(automobile)
Elektronisk innsprøytning
"The first commercial electronic fuel injection (EFI) system was Electrojector, developed by the Bendix Corporation and was to be offered by American Motors (AMC) in 1957.
[...]
Chrysler offered Electrojector on the 1958 300D, the D500, and the DeSoto Adventurer, arguably the first series-production cars equipped with an EFI system, but the early electronic components were not equal to the rigors of underhood service, and were too slow to keep up with the demands of "on the fly" engine control. Most vehicles originally so equipped were field-retrofitted with 4-barrel carburetors. The Electrojector patents were subsequently sold to Bosch."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_injection
Selvbærende karosseri
"The first automotive application of the monocoque technique was 1923's Lancia Lambda. Chrysler and Citroën built the second monocoque vehicles, both in 1934, with the innovative Chrysler Airflow and the Traction Avant, respectively, and General Motors followed with the Opel Olympia in 1935. In 1936, Lincoln introduced the Zephyr, a monocoque design which was as strong as the Airflow yet much lighter."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unibody#Automobiles
Kollisjonsputer
"Ford built an experimental fleet of cars with airbags in 1971, followed by General Motors in 1973 on Chevrolet vehicles. In 1974, GM made dual-stage twin front airbags optional in full-size Buick, Cadillac and Oldsmobile models and called them the "Air Cushion Restraint System""
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbag
Cruise Control
"The 1958 version is credited with the introduction of cruise control, which was called "Auto-Pilot", and was available on the Imperial, and on Chrysler New Yorker and Windsor models."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_(automobile)
Turbo som sagt
"The first production turbocharged automobile engines came from General Motors in 1962. The A-body Oldsmobile Cutlass Jetfire and Chevrolet Corvair Monza Spyder were both fitted with turbochargers."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbo
Ford var andremann ute med avtagbar "hardtop"
"The Ford Skyliner was an innovative full-size automobile with a retractable hardtop produced by the Ford Motor Company in the late 1950s. Based on the North American Ford Fairlane, the Skyliner had a complex mechanism which folded the front of the roof and retracted it under the rear decklid. "
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Skyliner
Abs-bremser
"Chrysler, together with the Bendix Corporation, introduced a true computerized three-channel all-wheel antilock brake system called "Sure Brake" on the 1971 Imperial. It was available for several years thereafter, functioned as intended, and proved reliable. General Motors introduced the "Trackmaster" rear-wheel (only) ABS as an option on their Rear-wheel drive Cadillac models in 1971."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti_lock_brakes
Traction Control
In 1971 the Buick division of GM introduced MaxTrac, which used an early computer system to detect rear wheel spin and modulate engine power to those wheels to provide the most traction. A Buick-exclusive at the time, it was an option on all full-size models, including the Riviera, Estate Wagon, Electra 225, Centurion, and popular LeSabre family sedan. Cadillac also introduced the ill fated Traction Monitoring System (TMS) in 1979 on the redesigned Eldorado.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traction_control_system
Halv-automatisk girkasse
"Historically, the first semi-automatic transmission which was marketed by a major manufacturer was the 1941 M4/Vacamatic Transmission by Chrysler.
[...]
Nearly simultaneously, Packard introduced the Electro-Matic clutch, which was a vacuum operated clutch pedal, signaled by the position of the accelerator."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-autom ... ansmission
Skivebremser
"Chrysler's Imperial also offered a type of disc brake from 1949 through 1953, though in this instance they were enclosed with dual internal-expanding, full-circle pressure plates"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disc_brakes
Servo-styring
"Chrysler Corporation introduced the first commercially available power steering system on the 1951 Chrysler Imperial under the name Hydraguide. "
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_steering
Uavhengig fjæring, og motoralternativer som v8 og v16
"In 1914, the first production V8 engines were installed in Cadillacs and, from 1930 through 1940, the first production V-16 engine (that included the world's first hydraulic valve lifters), as well as a V-12 from 1931 through 1937. Cadillac, along with Buick and Oldsmobile, introduced mass-produced independent-wishbone front suspension in 1934."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac
Vippe-lykter
"Hidden headlamps first appeared on the Cord 810 in 1936. Each unit had a crank on its side of the dashboard, which was turned by hand when the headlamps were needed.
Powered hidden headlamps were pioneered in GM's Buick Y-Job concept car of 1938 and were used briefly on Chrysler Corporation's 1942 production DeSoto."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hidden_headlamps
Lykter som fulgte svingen
"These provide improved lighting for cornering. Some automobiles have their headlamps connected to the steering mechanism so the lights will follow the movement of the front wheels. Czech Tatra and 1920s Cadillacs were early implementer of such a technique, producing in the 1930s a vehicle with a central directional headlamp. The American 1948 Tucker Sedan was likewise equipped with a third central headlamp connected mechanically to the steering system."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headlamp#D ... _headlamps
Justerbart ratt
"Developed by General Motors Saginaw Steering Gear Division, the telescoping wheel can be adjusted to an infinite number of positions in a 3-inch range. The Tilt and Telescope steering wheel was introduced as an exclusive option on Cadillac automobiles in 1965."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steering_wheel
... Det finnes en god del flere lignende nyvinninger og andre fremtidsrettede løsninger, selv om de ofte ikke fungerte helt etter forventningene. Ting som katalysator kan og nevnes, dessuten drev Amc og Gm å utviklet Wankel-motorer i samme perioden som Mercedes og Citroen drev med det. Chrysler lanserte en modellserie med Turbin-biler. Enkelte hevder at Muntz Jet var verdens første bil med sikkerhetsseler, selv om Wikipedia hevder Saab var først. Allerede i 1934 startet Gm med kollisjonstester, mens Ford hadde et program med sikkerhetsustyr til bilene sine i 1956 kalt "lifeguard". Eksospotten er for øvrig også en amerikansk oppfinnelse.