How times have changed
 

I'm finding these vintage BBC clips hilarious. If you ever need evidence that expensive super high technology will eventually be affordable for the masses, then this is for you. Using an inflation calculator, this car cost the equivalent of £670,000 in 1971. These days, all of this is standard equipment and therefore free (pretty much)

https://youtu.be/7Woz270D1HE

And the rest.
£55,000 in 1971 is worth £918,793.33 today.

https://www.in2013dollars.com/uk/inf...1?amount=55000

Interesting. Just about every car I've ever owned has had cruise control. Even my early 80s cars. The one that didn't, a 1974 Chevy truck, I put cruise control in not long after I bought it.

My grandmothers Aspen, I think 1979, had cruise control.

Never tried it, but it was probably primitive. Keeping engine speed constant instead of road speed.

Could be wrong, but early cars just used to pin the throttle at where ever you had your foot at the time didn't they? I remember my college tutor used to say you could use the choke on older cars as a cruise control once it has warmed up. Never tried it as I only had one car with a manual choke.

The FIAT 126 had a hand throttle down beside the steering column. You could set that on a motorway trip. I tried it a few times but it never felt safe as it didn't go off if you braked. The engine didn't have a lot of go but the brakes didn't have a lot of stop.