U.S. Route 66 inspired the setting and history of Pixar’s Cars.
The film’s fictional town of Radiator Springs is presented as a community affected by the construction of a faster interstate highway. That idea reflects the real history of Route 66 towns, many of which lost passing traffic after newer roads redirected long-distance travel.
Pixar artists and filmmakers researched Route 66 during the development of Cars. The road’s surviving motels, service stations, landscapes, and roadside attractions influenced the film’s visual design and its theme of preserving overlooked communities.
Route 66 originally ran from Chicago to Santa Monica and was established in 1926. It was removed from the United States Numbered Highway System in 1985, but its cultural identity remains strong. Radiator Springs is fictional, so it should not be confused with a real town located on Route 66.