Why your next car may not come with a CD player
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 42,475
Likes: 320
From: California
Why your next car may not come with a CD player
Why your next car may not come with a CD player
Michael Arbaugh, chief designer of Ford interiors, describes center console space as "oceanfront property" – already fully populated, with more tenants trying to move in every year. Speaking to the Automotive Press Association in Detroit, Arbaugh said one tenant he'd like to evict is the CD player because it's dead weight for audio Luddites.
Ok, so he didn't say that exactly. But Arbaugh believes they're out of fashion with people under 30, and that growing lack of interest means they occupy space that could be better employed. CD players also add weight that has to be countered somewhere else in the march to meet CAFE regulations, an endeavor with nearly aerospace tolerances anymore.
The CD-less car is just talk at the moment, but there's no doubt it's coming. More and more computers are being sold without optical drives, and as it goes in the tech world so it shall go in the car-tech world. If we could just get carmakers to properly integrate connections for other PMPs that can play lossless codecs and don't mutilate the music, we wouldn't mind at all.
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/15/w...h-a-cd-player/
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,267
Likes: 1
From: ON, Canada
I actually still like cds and Im 27. Granted around 90% of the time Im listening to my IPhone, but still a friend had new music I wanted and without taking his IPhone he made me a cd and now Im in the cool crowd. 
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or allow dvd mp3, something lexus disable on their cars.
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CL Community Team
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 9,314
Likes: 585
From: IL
It was only a matter of time. It was probably 5 years ago that I saw the first aftermarket HU without an optical drive or cassette mechanism, and now probably a quarter to a third come that way. Give most people bluetooth, SD, USB, and iPod support, and they're happy.
I know I haven't used my CD player in close to 5 years, and I've only had a head unit with those features for 6 months.
I know I haven't used my CD player in close to 5 years, and I've only had a head unit with those features for 6 months.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 8,340
Likes: 330
From: Las Vegas
I use my CD player very rarely. My JVC head unit has an aux input, so I generally listen to my iPod. I really wish it had a USB port like the Kenwood that I put in my Firebird. What I don't like about using my iPod is that I have to change songs on the iPod, which means pulling over(I refuse to use devices while driving). With my old setup, I could just plug in the USB and use the remote to change songs, allowing me to focus on the road. If I get a better job, maybe I'll go through my entire system, and put in a new head unit, speakers, sub and amp.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,404
Likes: 9
From: Florida
I rarely listen to music stored on my iPhone or even cd's and such. Most everything I listen to now is internet radio via Pandora, tune-in, and other popular apps on my phone. If I ever want to listen to a certain song instantly I YouTube it.
Although, I must admit that the Bluetooth streaming quality is ****. Too much static and some random cutoffs from interference's.
Although, I must admit that the Bluetooth streaming quality is ****. Too much static and some random cutoffs from interference's.