Which famous highway inspires the road-trip setting of Pixar's Cars?

U.S. Route 66 inspires the road-trip setting of Pixar's Cars.

The film's central town, Radiator Springs, is presented as a once-thriving stop along an old highway that has been bypassed by a newer interstate. That setup reflects the real history of Route 66, which connected Chicago and Santa Monica and became famous for roadside businesses, motels, diners and attractions.

John Lasseter and the Cars creative team traveled along Route 66 during the film's development. They studied its landscapes and met residents whose stories helped shape Radiator Springs and its characters. The fictional town combines influences from several real communities rather than reproducing one exact location.

A common mix-up is identifying Interstate 40 as the inspiration. In the film, the interstate is the newer road that diverts traffic away from Radiator Springs; Route 66 is the historic road represented by the town's older way of life.