Route 66 inspired the setting and atmosphere of Pixar's Cars.
The historic U.S. Route 66 ran from Chicago to Santa Monica and became associated with road trips, roadside businesses, and small communities. Cars uses those ideas in its depiction of Radiator Springs, a once-thriving town bypassed when a modern interstate route draws traffic away.
Pixar filmmakers researched Route 66 locations and spoke with people connected to the road while developing the film. The resulting fictional town combines elements from several real places rather than reproducing one exact town. Cadillac Ranch, roadside landmarks, desert landscapes, and classic motoring culture also influenced the film's visual world.
Route 66 was removed from the United States Highway System in 1985, but its cultural identity remains strong. It is sometimes called the “Mother Road,” a phrase associated with John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath.