Other technologies, such as the compact disc, would also disappear over the next few years.
That made sense because AM stations held a stranglehold on the market share at that point.
The first on-demand music system also appeared in the 1950s.
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Mopar introduced the very first record playing head unit in 1955.
It didn’t last long.
Up until that point, all car radios had used a single (mono) audio channel.
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The eight-track format owes a lot to car head units.
If it wasn’t for car audio, the entire format probably would have floundered.
Ford aggressively pushed the platform, and eventually competing manufacturers picked up the format as well.
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The first cassette head units showed up in the 1970s, outliving its predecessor by many years.
This technology was developed in 1994, but it was originally intended as a replacement for wired networks.
The first infotainment systems also started to appear, and some head units even offered built-in HDD storage.
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The 2000s also saw the emergence and rising appeal ofsatellite radio.
The last car to roll off the line with an OEM cassette player was a 2010 Lexus SC 430.
After about 30 years of service, the format was finally retired to make way for new technologies.
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The CD player was the next format on the chopping block.
So what comes next?
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