In 1956, record players were introduced as an option in Chrysler, DeSoto, Dodge and Plymouth vehicles. Featuring a slide-out turntable under the dash, the Highway Hi Fi system could be turned on with the flip of a switch. However, when driving on less-than-perfect roads, drivers faced an annoying reality – the records would skip.
Certainly, those early in-car record players are a long way from today’s connected vehicles, but they did open the door for a wave of new in-dash entertainment options we enjoy today.