Route 66 most directly inspired Radiator Springs in Pixar's Cars.
The production team traveled along the historic highway to observe its landscapes, roadside architecture, signage, and surviving communities. Those observations helped shape the film's fictional town and its story about places left behind by modern transportation.
U.S. Route 66 originally connected Chicago and Santa Monica. It became famous through migration, tourism, roadside businesses, and popular culture, but it was removed from the United States Numbered Highway System in 1985 after newer interstate routes replaced much of its long-distance function.
Cars does not present Radiator Springs as a literal Route 66 town. Instead, it combines features from several real places and landmarks, creating a fictional setting that reflects the highway's broader history.