Car radios invented
Car radios emerged as a significant automotive accessory in the early 1930s, evolving from cumbersome portable radios that were primarily adapted for vehicular use. Initially, individuals used household radios in their cars, but the integration of radios into vehicles became more standardized later on. Early car radios faced challenges, such as reliance on vacuum tubes that were prone to interference and heavy power demands, which often drained the car's battery.
Innovations in vacuum tube technology helped address some of these issues, leading to the development of more reliable car radios. Notably, Paul and Joseph Galvin, along with inventors Bill Lear and Elmer Wavering, played crucial roles in this evolution, culminating in the creation of the Motorola radio, one of the first commercial car radios. Introduced in 1930, it marked a turning point in car audio technology, offering a more compact and effective solution for vehicle owners. The introduction of the car radio not only transformed the driving experience but also set the stage for car radios to become a standard feature in modern vehicles.
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Car radios invented
Radios specifically designed for installation in passenger automobiles
Shortly after the first automobiles were invented, people began attempting to design radios that could be used while driving in a car. Since radios in these early years used vacuum tubes, car radios and the batteries needed to power them were large and unwieldy. However, inventors persisted in their attempts to design smaller and better car radios.
Work began on portable radios during the 1920’s. However, the first mass-produced radios that could be called car radios were marketed during the early 1930’s. Given the technology of the times, these radios were cumbersome. A typical portable radio consisted of a box for the radio, a box including speakers, and a fairly heavy set of batteries. There also needed to be a long antenna. All of this was usually packed in a suitcase, making it portable.
When car radios were first developed, individuals who wanted radios in their cars usually adapted household radios for that use. Radios were not standard equipment in cars until much later in automotive history.
Since radios at this time had vacuum tubes with filaments in them, a power supply had to be able to heat the filament, and other power supplies, batteries, were employed to provide power to other radio parts. This meant that running a car radio off the car battery’s power was difficult. The radio would rapidly use up the car’s battery unless the car was kept running. Another problem with early car radios was that the technology used to power them often caused interference with the radio itself, causing static and difficult reception.
Eventually, different types of vacuum tubes were developed for use only in car radios, and technological difficulties began to be addressed. A number of manufacturers began to compete during the 1930’s to offer the most compact and reliable car radio.
Paul and Joseph Galvin produced one of the first radios meant to be fitted into a car. In 1928, they began work on battery eliminators that would allow vacuum-tube-battery powered radios to run on household current. The Great Depression put an end to this endeavor, and they realized they had to find a new product.
The Galvins joined with inventors Bill Lear and Elmer Wavering and set the goal of developing a radio that could be installed successfully in cars. They finished a prototype by the 1930 car show in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Without funds for a booth to display their wares, they set up outside the convention center and demonstrated the radio installed in their car. They received enough orders to keep their company afloat.
In 1930, the Galvins also produced one of the first commercial car radios, which they called the Motorola. This was a joining of the word “motor” with the suffix “-ola,” which was used in the brand names of other audio devices, such as the Victrola and Radiola. This model sold for about $120, which is equivalent to about $1,700 in the twenty-first century. The brand name Motorola continues to be used in the twenty-first century, although it is not used to refer to car radios.
Impact
The car radio is an automotive accessory that appears in almost every car. In the 1930’s, the car radio moved from an unwieldy hobby device to a mass-produced item, albeit expensive at the time.
Bibliography
Lind, Richard. Evolution of the Car Radio: From Vacuum Tubes to Satellite and Beyond. Washington, D.C.: Society for Automotive Engineers, 2004.
Rowan, Clem, and Carlos Altgelt. When Car Radios Were Illegal: A History of Early American and European Car Radios. Washington, D.C.: Society for Automotive Engineers, 1985.