John Lasseter's latest film combines the two loves of his life: cartoons and cars.

Cars, the new movie from Pixar, tells the story of a hotshot rookie racecar who discovers love -- and a few life lessons -- when he winds up stranded in Radiator Springs, a dying town along the old Route 66.

Lasseter tells Michele Norris how the idea for the film grew out of a two-month summer trip he took with his family after working nonstop during the 1990s. During that time, he directed the box-office hits A Bug's Life and both Toy Story movies, and served as executive producer for Monsters, Inc. and Finding Nemo.

"I learned that the journey in life is a reward," he says. "It's about living every day to its fullest, and I knew that's what I wanted the film to be about."

Lasseter talks about Cars, the challenges of directing an animated film, and how technological advances have -- and haven't -- affected his work.

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