Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-27
Driving Ease Is Held Significant
Of the 1929 Automobile Development

Many innovations in automobile de-
sign will capture the fancy of the mo-
toring public now that the curtain has
been raised on the complete line of cars
for 1929, but not until America takes
the wheel of the latest model will the
real significance of 1929 progress be-
come evident. 1t will require actual ac-
quaintance with these new products to
focus attention to the fact that never
before have automotive engineers been
so skillful in meeting the problem of
simplifying driving.
Motordom recognizes that with traffic
already problem and new responsible
ties placed on the driver daily it is no
longer good business to expect him to
keep his mind on details in the opera
ton Of various units of the car Guided
by this thought the engineers have con-
centrated on making the controls and
operation of the car more automatic
than ever before, while the n1anufac-
turers have attended to their job of
bringing these new developments to the
public with no premium by way of
higher prices.
when a driver has so many respon-
SibilitieS while at the wheel, why ask
him to be an expert in the operation
OF so detailed a control as the carbu-
rotor choke?" motordom asked The
industry quickly responded by offering
several 1929 models with an arrange
ment that prevents the driver from get
ting into difficulties by overlooking the
engine. If he does the wrong thing the
control mechanism itself corrects this,
with the result that instead of the en-
CINE going into prolonged stall it goes
into action just as though it had been
operated by skilled mechanic.
Automatic Choke.
Another large manufacturer Of cars
offers an arrangement whereby the
choke automatically sets the throttle
during the cranking process. If the
driver forgetS to open the throttle q
little, or is inclined to open it too wide
| his ineXperience in this respect will
have no bearing on results. The instant
he pulls out the choke valve the throttle
is set at the efficient point. If the en-
CINE fails to start it is net because
choke and throttle have not been han
| oled properly.
Both of these arrangements have
daWned upon motordom with the turn
of the year. but probably it will not be
until the motoring season is fully ad-
vanced that their full significance will
be sensed. The trend of the times is
such that within another year many OF
the favorite tricks with skilled drivers
will be about as superfiuous as knowing
how to crank an engine by hand.
Double clutching," one of the most
difficult feats for the average driver, is
blotted out Of the picture altogether by
the advent of transmission gears that
can be meshed with nothing more by
way of skill than pressing down the
clutch pedal and moving the gear shift
lever to the desired position. This ap-
plies whether one is driving uphill OF
down. The speed of the gears to be
meshed synchronize themselves auto
matically SO that the driver is not
obliged to press out the clutch twice, al
the same time speeding up the engine
while passing the shift lever through
the neutral position.
Plenty Left for Driver.
The new development does not near
that the driver will have nothing to de
at the wheel. 1t is recognized that hi
is being given new duties and that ir
order to perform these properly he must
be relieved of those which can best bt
taken care Of mechanically. One rea'