Let's step back in time to a simpler era of automotive technologies when innovation was bulky yet memorable.
The audio and smartphone technology our cars have in 2022 has come a long way since the masses were first given the opportunity to get behind the wheel. But even in more recent history, the advancement in technology means that there is a lot of very cool and innovative tech which become defunct pretty quick as we approached the digital age and things were upgraded and replaced more quickly. Let’s look back at a few of the all-time classics in in-car technology.
In-car record player
This one is fun because I cannot think of anything more dangerous than an in-car record player, but in the 1950s Chrysler Group gave motorists just that. This factory-installed record player (mounted under the dashboard) was named the ‘Highway Hi-Fi’ and played 7-inch records.
The company said the use of “elastic three-point suspension” meant the unit was “non-breakable”, with Chrysler adding the discs would never skip, not even during sharp turns or while crossing railroad tracks. “It’s almost impossible to jar the arm off the record,” the ads at the time read. What. A. Promise.
And yes, this was as problematic as it sounds for a number of reasons, the least being because this was the first-time drivers had total control over what music they listened to while driving, it put the noses of radio stations out of joint.
At the time, this fancy bit of tech was touted alongside a number of other improvements to Chrysler vehicles which also included the LifeGuard, a latch that prevented doors from flinging open in the event of an accident and new windscreen wipers that promised to clean 10 per cent more of the glass surface than the previous models. And all for an extra US$200 (about US$1700 in today’s money). Bargain.
Of course, this tech didn’t last long, despite the advertising, the records could and did skip, and there were several issues involving warranty coverage. As you also might have guessed, repairs were also a nightmare with local mechanics not having the knowledge on how to fix in-car record players.
This led to a sharp decline in sales, with Chrysler selling 3685 Hi-Fi units in 1956 to just 675 in 1957 and it being discontinued shortly after. However, not to be deterred, in 1960 they thought they would have another crack at the in-car record player market.
Believing they had fixed a lot of the issues around the Highway Hi-Fi, they offered the Victrola, which played 45s and overcame the short running time problem with a 14-disc changer. Very similar to the jukebox down at the local milk bar, when one record was finished, the unit would automatically drop another in its place, with the needle being upsidedown and the record lowered on top of it to reduce skipping.
Surprisingly, this was also short-lived, and it was discontinued a mere 12 months later. This multi-disc player technology paved the way for another type many decades later…
The CD-Stacker/Changer
I have some very deep-seeded memories of being on road trips with my aunt and uncle and their CD-Stacker getting quite the workout, and also feeling a pang of jealousy when my Nanna got a new car that had one (although it sadly went unused).
And while this was the cutting edge of technology during the 90s and 2000s, you’d be hard-pressed to find a car with one today. Most new cars don’t even have a solo CD player, let alone one that stacks multiple CDs. I also just don’t own CDs anymore (thank you very much, music streaming services).
However, there still appears to be somewhat of a market for these relics and the two main types still floating around are remote CD changers and in-dash CD changers. Both types are available as original equipment and aftermarket upgrades and offer their own pros and cons.
Lifewire suggests that if you are in the market for such a feature for your car, keep an eye out for the following things:
- Shock protection – This is going to stop your CDs from skipping when driving over rough terrain. Nothing worse than a CD skipping mid-song!
- CD-RW compatibility – Because the future is now, older CD players aren’t capable of playing CDs that were created with a CD writer. So basically, that mix CD you made your love interest? Won’t play. However good news is most new CD changers are compatible with discs you can burn at home, so every love ballad will be heard!
- Disc titling – This is helpful if you like your head unit to display the name of the song instead of the number of the track. Possibly a bit pedantic but I used to sit religiously in front of my iTunes googling album covers to add for hours on end, so who am I to talk.
As much as I loved a good CD-Stacker in my teen years, the fact remains, after you have gone through the same 6 CDs, you’re back to the start until you change them. I’ll never miss having to lug around the massive CD holder or when you’re parked on the side of the road on a long road trip, changing the discs when you have an after-market stacker located in your car’s boot.
Of course, more relevant, digital technology like Bluetooth and USB have become more popular with users able to access an entire music catalogue at a touch of a button on platforms such as Spotify.
Car Phones
Was there anything cooler than a car phone? Peak 80s and 90s nostalgia with this one.
Slightly dangerous? Sure, but it was the 80s baby and communication was king. Ultimately, as we accurately noted in 2017, the smaller and lighter mobile phones of the late 90s killed the car phone star.
Times have certainly changed with how the law even views phone usage in cars. Today you can cop a large fine and demerit points for even touching your phone while your engine is running, but back when these bad boys hit the road, using them was fine as it was making the roads a safer place for everyone.
I remember my dad, who owns a construction business, had a car phone, and it was heavy and bulky and surely, he did not want to be in constant contact with his employees that much. I can’t remember exactly when he stopped using it and opted for a mobile, but I do know for many years after we were given it to play with as a toy.
I think when you give your kids a piece of old technology like a car phone to play with, you know the technology is officially dead. Most of these car phones are in brick mode these days as the old phone networks they were utilising are no longer in service.
Now there are safe, hands-free options to chat on the phone while driving thanks to Bluetooth and smartphone mirroring infotainment systems and are a lot less bulky too!
Keyword: The defunct car audio tech which was once cool