As a college student in the mid 50 I remember setting up a car load to help pay the gas bill and heading from River Forest, IL. to Detroit. The Chicago Skyway was there at the end and saved us a little time. I-94 was not finished past Jackson to Detroit stretch so we took M60 across Southern MI. That was a good weekend trip for 6 students that we did 3-4 times per school year.
A correction on AC in cars from a previous poster. Packard had it in 1939. My first AC was in '60 in a Ford and all 48 cars since have had AC. One thing I remember from college is "A luxury, once attained, becomes a necessity" Thank You Dr. Gross.