While searching for an image for a different post, I came across this scanned 1971 Motor Trend article about a computerized and automated vehicle-rental system called Select-A-Car, which was the brainchild of Minicars founder, Don Friedman. A credit-card swipe in a vending machine would dispense the keys for a low-emission compact, which the renter would pick up and drop off at a convenient lot. It was planned for use in airports, bus terminals and commercial and apartment buildings. The company believed that this early version of ridesharing–a proto-Zipcar, really–could reduce ownership and promote a greener environment, but the idea never gained traction. Click on the article to read a larger version.