Buick's Self-Driving Test and Robotic Gas Pump
KPUX-TV News Segment from April 1997
While reviewing an old VHS tape from my collection, I found a short but fascinating segment from KPIX-TV featuring longtime anchor Dave McElhatton. It was just a few minutes long, but it packed in some seriously forward-thinking technology.
The segment highlighted Buick's early experiments with autonomous vehicles. Long before terms like full self-driving or lane assist became common, Buick was testing cars that could navigate a course without human input. The footage showed a vehicle moving slowly but confidently, guided by an early guidance system. It looked rough compared to modern tech, but the core idea was there. This was innovation in motion.
The other part of the clip might have been even more unusual. The newscast showed off a robotic gas pump prototype. This machine could identify the location of a vehicle’s fuel door, open it, and fill the tank automatically. No driver interaction needed. While it looked a bit like something out of a science fiction movie, the idea was practical: simplify the refueling process entirely.
McElhatton's tone throughout was balanced and curious. He treated the segment not as a gimmick, but as a genuine look at where the auto industry might be heading. Watching it now, it feels like a reminder that the seeds of today's innovations were planted decades ago, often on local news segments that few people saw more than once.
Why This Clip Matters
This kind of segment is a great example of how long it takes for new ideas to become reality. Whether it is autonomous driving or contactless fueling, the concepts have been around for a while. The real magic is in the slow, steady progress that transforms prototypes into practical tools we use every day.
I will be digitizing the clip and sharing it online soon. It's a fun snapshot of the past trying to imagine the future, and a nice reminder that even in the analog age, people were thinking digitally.
YouTube Video
Stay tuned for more stories from my VHS archive. There are more tech time capsules waiting to be uncovered.