A Century of Motoring

Book excerpt: The lot of the motorist has changed greatly over the last hundred years. In the early twentieth century, only the most wealthy could afford a motor car and there were very few rules and regulations. Now most British people own a car and are protected by air bags and crumple zones, but also hemmed in by parking regulations, traffic jams and speed restrictions. In this richly illustrated history of the past hundred years of motoring, expert Jon Pressnell explores the main developments, such as the introduction and refinement of the driving test; the improvement of roads and the impact of the motorway; and how affordable cars such as the Mini have helped democratise driving. The evolution of the car itself is also explored, from the coachbuilt custom-made cars of the 1910s, through to the more attainable mass-produced models of the inter-war years, and finally to today's complex and sometimes hybrid-powered vehicles.