Cadillac Cyclone had forward collision warning as early as 1959
The American concept was one of the first in the world to incorporate a kind of modern ADAS. And it is full of hi-tech solutions
The American concepts of the 1950s have remained true style icons. Strongly inspired by the world of aviation, the models presented by manufacturers such as Ford and Cadillac inspired several generations of "stars and stripes" cars.
But beyond pure design, many of these prototypes featured avant-garde solutions that made them pioneers the world over. Case in point? The anti-collision system on the 1959 Cadillac Cyclone.
ADAS before ADAS
In a way, the Cyclone anticipated by more than half a century a device that is now standard (and compulsory) on all new cars. It's a fairly primordial system that wasn't adopted by the production models of the time, but which nonetheless represents an important step towards improving safety as much as possible.
Concept Cadillac Cyclone (1959)
In principle, the two front 'points' of the Cadillac were equipped with radars capable of detecting the distance to the vehicle in front or the presence of objects on the road and warning the driver by means of a sound and a warning light.
In addition to this first experiment in Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS), the Cyclone is equipped with a silver-coated dome-shaped plastic roof to improve protection from the sun's rays. The roof can be slid back and forth, and the cabin is equipped with an intercom system that allows you to talk to people inside and outside the car without leaving the vehicle.
Don't give up on the V8
To get in, you press a button that moves the doors outwards by 8 cm and then slides them backwards. The front-mounted 350 PS 6.4-litre V8 engine is mated to a 3-speed manual gearbox, while the exhausts are positioned in front of the front wheels, in a highly unusual configuration.
Concept Cadillac Cyclone (1959)
An example of the Cyclone can be seen at the Audrain Automobile Museum in Newport, Rhode Island, USA.
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