What road inspired the setting and journey in Pixar’s Cars?

U.S. Route 66 inspired the setting and journey in Pixar’s Cars.

The historic highway once connected Chicago and Santa Monica across the United States. It became strongly associated with road trips, roadside businesses, and changing transportation patterns. Cars uses those ideas through Radiator Springs, a town affected after a modern interstate diverts traffic away from its main street.

Pixar’s creative team researched Route 66 communities and landmarks while developing the film. The fictional Radiator Springs combines features associated with several real places, including desert landscapes, neon signs, and roadside attractions.

The movie does not present Radiator Springs as a literal town on a map. Instead, it uses the fictional location to represent the cultural history of Route 66 and the effect of bypass roads on small communities.