25 Forgotten Features From Old Cars

25. The “Wrist Twist” Steering Control System

The product of some of the most wildly optimistic 1960s design, the Wrist Twist steering control system is an old car feature that looks outlandishly futuristic even today. Designed by a former missile engineer, the Wrist Twist replaced a conventional steering wheel with two smaller rings mounted on a vertical yolk and able to be operated either together or independently. Despite the odd look, the Wrist Twist offered some huge advantages: the driver had finer control over the vehicle, the steering mechanism required less force to operate, and the less obtrusive design improved both comfort and stability. While the Wrist Twist never made it to the road, we may see something like it in the future.