In 1955, the American Chamber of Commerce created a slideshow film titled “People, Products, and Progress: 1975” to showcase what the American industry would strive for in the future.
The companies of 1955 envisioned what they hoped to achieve 20 years later. These aspirations included streamlined trains, easy electronic payments at stores, and even atomic-powered cars…
1. “Electronic Eyes” in Supermarkets
“When ladies go grocery shopping in 1975, they will not have to wait long at checkout,” according to the slideshow. “The improvement illustrated here is an automated computer that can price all items as they pass through the electronic eye.”
The first question that people from the 21st century might ask about this illustration is: Where are the barcodes? Although barcodes were invented in the late 1940s, they weren’t adopted by American supermarkets until the 1970s. So how did the “electronic eye” scan products? Perhaps people at that time were already thinking of product recognition technology?
2. Streamlined Trains
This illustration, created in collaboration with the American Railway Association, depicts a streamlined train design used in 1975. These trains “are characterized by being lighter and having a lower center of gravity compared to current cars, along with the ability to navigate curves at much higher speeds.”
Today, we have high-speed trains with aerodynamic designs, but we still do not see trains with such large transparent windows.
3. Smart Cars Powered by Atomic Energy
“Research by the American Iron and Steel Institute could support the development of vehicles equipped with electronics capable of alerting drivers about road conditions ahead, along with an automated ‘brain’ for parking,” according to the slideshow.
But what’s even more surprising is that this car is said to be powered by atomic energy, not unlike a concept car developed in 1957 known as the Ford Nucleon. The enormous section at the rear of the car houses the reactor.
4. Track-Laying Robots
Robots laying train tracks in 1975 would “perform all construction and repair work,” with major infrastructure processes also improved through automation.
5. Convenient Shopping via Phone and Smart Appliances
In this futuristic design, a woman in 1975 is comfortably shopping via phone, while dishwashing, laundry, and everything else are done at the push of a button.
6. Double-Decker Trains
This double-decker train from 1975 was envisioned in the slideshow by the American Chamber of Commerce in 1955. Similar to the design of the above train, the double-decker was also imagined to have an aerodynamic design with oversized windows for passengers to enjoy the scenery as the train travels.
7. Atomic-Powered Trains
Not only cars, the final slideshow also depicts a train pulled by an atomic-powered locomotive. Half a century ago, Americans predicted that in the future, most things would run on atomic energy.
