Bedford Driving Lessons

Never mind the end of the Sony Walkman, here is further proof of the demise of the cassette: RIP the car tape deck. As 2011 models roll off production lines and on to American sales lots, not one is factory-equipped with a cassette player, according to the New York Times. The next question for car manufacturers, explained one researcher, is “how long has the CD got to go?” If the car cassette player has an epitaph, it is the 2010 Lexus SC 430. This was the last new car to be factory-equipped with a way to play your old mixtapes, the New York Times reports. “Lexus was the last holdout,” explained Phil Magney, an analyst for IHS iSuppli, a technology research firm. For the 2011 model year, tape players are not available as standard – or even as an option – on any new cars sold in the United States.” If you want to listen to the decaying hiss of your cherished tapes, you will either have to buy a used vehicle or install a third-party cassette player. Cassette tape decks were introduced in the 70s, replacing the not-so-dearly departed eight-track. For more than a decade, they coexisted with radio players and even compact discs. Even as families repurchased their music on CD, they still wanted to play old mixtapes.  More