Back in 1956, Chrysler pioneered under-dash record players for automobiles that would allow drivers and passengers to play vinyl discs of various sizes.
The discs could hold roughly 45 minutes of music, or up to one full hour of speech on each side, as per the Imperial Club. The system was designed by CBS Laboratories as a musical accessory for Plymouth, Dodge, DeSoto, Chrysler and Imperial.
The following quotes have been pulled from the actual press release issued on September 12, 1955: “For driver and passengers who prefer the lively scores of Broadway musicals, Highway Hi-Fi provides the lilting and memorable tunes from the hit show, “Pajama Game”.”
“And if the children are restless on a long ride, Davey Crockett and Gene Autry are ready at hand to help keep them quiet.”
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The Highway Hi-Fi would play music through the speaker of the car radio, using the radio’s amplifier. The turntable itself was placed in a shock-proof case just below the center of the instrument panel, which also held the tone arm, sapphire stylus, ceramic pick up and enough space for six long-play records.
According to Chrysler Automobiles, the player and position of the stylus on the record were not affected by the angle of the car, nor its speed. The stylus would remain planted even during severe cornering – extensive tests were carried in order to make sure the stylus wouldn’t even “jump a groove”.
Seen as how this invention is roughly 65 years old, we can’t help but marvel at the ingenuity and attention to detail.
