The sensible cars that we associate with the daily commute to work feel miles away from the race cars that screech around a track going 200 miles per hour. Race cars are built for speed and braced for impact; the average car is built to deal with routine driving maneuvers. But in terms out, our vehicles have more in common with race cars than you may believe.
"Modern cars benefit from tech honed over decades of competition. Sometimes it started with race teams looking for an advantage. Other innovations originated outside of racing but proved their effectiveness on track. All these tests and tweaks make cars better."
In Digital Trends, Stephen Edelstein gives the rundown on how some of the features we are most familiar with, like all-wheel drive and rear view windows, actually originate on the race track. Race driving is incredibly dangerous, which means that race car engineers and makers are constantly looking for ways to make the sport that more safe for its athletes. But those safety innovations have trickled down in ways that have benefitted us all.
Seeing the connections between the world of race car driving and the regular commute is a cool way of thinking about how safety and vehicle technology is constantly evolving and improving. But it's worth noting, race car origins or no race car origins - you still can't drive your hatchback 200 miles per hour down the highway.
Check out the full list over on Digital Trends.