Evening star., 1934-01-28
COMFORT IS GOAL
IN AUTO DESIGN
Industry Responds to New
Demand in Emphatic
Fashion, Says Foy.

Il believe the automobile industry
b entering a new cycle, new phase
Of progress" says Byron Foy, presi-
dent, De Soto Motor Corporation.
I'VE have been rocking along on the
old cycle for quite while now. The
past two years have been good years
in which to turn about and step of
on a new path and I believe the in
dustry has set its face in a new di-
rection, presenting rather general
front in the forward march. I can
remember when the ownership Of au-
tomobiles was restricted to the type of
individuals who today own private air.
planes.
1T was considered rather danger
GUS to ride in an Acknowledged de-
cidedly the modern thing.
THE wiseacres in the automobile
industry soon found that this was q
limited market. Looking about for a
new appeal to use to open wider mar
kets these automobile builders discov-
cred that automobile owners were en-
thusiastic about driving and soon there
was a pleasure car market, buyers
springing up on every hand who would
never have been attracted by the dare
devil idea, but who responded to the
appeal that their families deserved the
latest toy-the automobile.
Price Limited Market.
"That market developed fairly we'll
and for several years the industry was
busy filling it, the saturation point be-
ing forgotten.
But about 1903 or 1910 the industry
discovered that there was a limited
number of people who could afford to
buy an automobile at the then exist
ing prices purely for the pleasure of
motoring.
by this time we began to seriously
discuss the saturation point-a phrase
that served as the focal point for dis
many years thereafter.
the industry got together and began
to look at their product and to study
possible markets The term pleasure
car was dropped completely and we
began to talk of touring cars and road
sters and runabouts.
Doctors. lawyers, merchants, sales
men, were all told why they needed
an automobile to properly conduct
their business. Once again the Ameri-
can public responded. Here, indeed,
was real reason for owning an au-
tomobile. Staid business men who did
not care for the so-called stigma of
owning pleasure car now could talk
Of how their business interests de-
manded that they own a car.
And merrily the industry rolled
along, building up larger and larger
sales totals year after year.
Sales Again Decline.
"But the past few years the auto
mobile sales totals have not shown in
creases over the previous year. Total
registrations have shown the effect of
the heavy buying of the boom years.
So now again the wise leaders of the
motor manufacturing world have coun-
seled with themselves and we see in
this years cars new appeal.
This years automobiles talk about
ease of ride about the comfort the
car gives, not only to the driver. but
to the back-seat passenger. This years
cars have been designed to give not
only greater safety, lowered operations
cost, better performance, but they have
introduced new factor.
1.-THE engineers this year have stud
leu LIE man WHO drives CdT-LQe
man or woman who rides in one.
They talk about weight distribution,
about bumps from rough roads, about
the proper arrangements of springs,
about the comfortable seats. the ab-
sence of wheel fight, the elimination
Of jolts and bounces.
New Seats Offered.
1.-THE widened front seat found In
two cars this year, eliminating the
crowding of front seats, and the close
1y joined front seats in two-door mod
els that permit Of lifting a seat for
entrance to the rear, yet also allow
Of complete use of all the seat. with
out break. once it is returned to
position-here we have another exam
pie of manufacturer consideration of
the comfort of the passenger.
"Other changes and improvements
have been made in various makes of
automobiles-but all tend toward one
thing-giving the passenger more COM
fort. more luxury and more enjoy
ment out of his automobile.
To-day we have vast army Of au-
tomobile owners who find it advan-
tageous in their business life to use
automobiles. We are trying to make
their use Of their own cars as free
from discomfort as possible-trying to
make driving and riding as pleasant
as we can"