Global Intellect

: Photo courtesy the Center for Land Use Interpretation
During the early days of the automobile, new cars were tested out on the open, public roads of the United States. As the technology grew more sophisticated and proprietary, car companies, beginning with GM in 1924, began to build vehicular test tracks that allowed them to privately assess the workability of new cars and features.
Often stretching for miles through rural areas, the proving grounds are easily visible in satellite and aerial photographs, even though at ground level, they look like standard roads. These labs for automotive tech are the connection between the drawing board and the car lot, which is why they are often shrouded in (trade) secrecy and guarded like national treasures.
Left:

Milford General Motors

This first true proving ground was built in 1924 in rural Michigan outside Milford about halfway between Detroit and Flint. Its distinctive circular track measures about […]

Original post by Alexis Madrigal