It seems that every time we turn around, technological advances in smartphones and dashboards are creating an environment where drivers are becoming increasingly distracted. There are countless accidents and deaths each year due to the person behind the wheel becoming mesmerized by a tech gadget or activity of one kind or another.
We talked about the future of autonomous driving earlier this month after it was revealed that Tesla fan Josh Brown met his demise while his Model S was driving in Autopilot mode. That tragedy has fueled an uproar among many who believe that self-driving cars are unsafe and could cause highway deaths because the “drivers” are lulled into a false sense of security. But this is nothing new.
It turns out that distracted driving has been an issue for decades. Back in the ‘50s, Chrysler installed a dashboard innovation called “Highway Hi-Fi” into many of its models. As the photo below shows, it’s a turntable mounted in the dash that played 7” vinyl records made especially for this hi-tech “operating system.”
Something about this dashboard innovation never caught on, because “Highway Hi-Fi” was around for only a short while. Perhaps it was something about having your left hand on the steering wheel while your right hand fiddled with the records and the tone arm. Luckily, J.D. Power quality ratings didn’t exist back then, allowing Chrysler to end this experiment with very little publicity, fanfare, or collateral damage.
But then there was the big brouhaha back in 1930 after Chevrolet added the most “dangerous distraction” to their vehicles – the car radio.
According to an article in Mental Floss, automotive historian Michael Lamm says there were laws proposed in both Massachusetts and Missouri (specifically, St. Louis) to ban radio listening while driving. Many believed radio caused what we now know as distracted driving. And the Auto Club of New York concurred. They took a poll in 1934 revealing more than half of their respondents believed the car radio was a danger.
Fortunately, the Radio Manufacturers Association (yes, they existed back then) won out, making the case that a radio in the car could 
provide warnings about traffic accidents and bad weather, as well as waking drivers who became drowsy while driving.
And the radio industry has never looked back. Today, of course, the car stands out as radio’s #1 listening location. As we always say in our automotive presentations, radio and the car are like peanut butter and jelly. And we all share that unalienable right of the road to crank up the car radio, belt out the tunes, and enjoy the ride.
These days, that’s playing out for the world to see. James Corden, host of CBS-TV’s Late Late Show has turned his “Carpool Karaoke” feature into a runaway viral benchmark. It celebrates the unadulterated joy of jamming with your favorite music on the radio alone, or in this case, with friends Michelle Obama and Missy Elliott.
These days, there is no shortage of naysayers concerned about the “connected car” touchscreen, autonomous driving, and safety. They might be wise to consider there was a time when many thought the car radio was a distracted driving threat.
The more things change…
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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I’m with you, Fred. I contacted my chief here in Cali by going here:
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/contacts/contacts
Find your guy in your State and at least voice concern.
THEN, I thought about the driverless car and saw that it could solve more problems. But how long till those are in widespread use? I believe too long for the next victim.
Thanks for the info & the insight, Robin.