It was GM's (General Motors) Research Director Charles Kettering's idea that the cars they produced should be shown to the public through road shows across the country.

The public should know the safety features and future trends that GM was undertaking as well as the progress America was making in various spheres that could improve people's lives & diesel power engines, televisions, electronic ping-pong game, jet propulsion engine, etc. And so this name - Parade of Progress was coined.

The first road show was in 1936 and was a huge success. So with another 12 purpose built huge vans being built they undertook the next trip in the year 1939. The last trip took place in 1953 and by this time the cavalcade had been to over 250 towns and cities.

Aptly named was the word - Futurliner. Each Futurliner was specially built with inbuilt lighting towers, public address system, stage platform, etc.