IS radio entertainment going to take to wheels? Is the equipment of a few thousand of the world’s thirty million cars with receivers and speakers to be extended until a majority of motorists, bowling along the open road or parked at a secluded recreation spot, can tune in on symphony or jazz, sermon or monologue, stock market report or public speech as easily as they can at home ?

Only time can answer these questions but several manufacturers of radio and a number of car makers have been given sufficient encouragement by experimental sales efforts in the past year to undertake materially expanded campaigns for 1930. Three manufacturers have announced radio sets for automobiles and others are considering similar developments. Makers of six cars are wiring some of their models for radio installation and arranging for sales of radio as extra equipment by their dealers.

The automobile sets definitely announced are Transitone, Delco Remy and American Bosch. The cars with models factory-wired for radio installation are Cadillac, LaSalle, Marmon, Roosevelt, Chrysler and Dodge Brothers.

The sets, differing in construction details from home outfits, are designed to withstand road shocks, to resist interference from the automobile electrical system and to compensate for constant change in location and such outside influences as steel frame buildings, electric power lines and the like.

Principal features of the three sets on the market may be summarized as follows:

Transitone—Single dial control; six tubes providing three-stage radio amplification, detector and two-stage audio amplification; speaker; aerial in car roof; A power from car storage battery, B power 135 volts, C power nine volts. Automobile Radio Corp., Detroit.

Delco Remy—Single dial control; automatic volume control; five tubes providing two-stage radio amplification, detector and two-stage audio amplification; lock switch to protect set against unauthorized operation while car is parked; magnetic cone speaker; aerial, five parallel wires in roof; A power from car storage battery, B power 180 volts, C power 13 1/2 volts. Available at present only for Cadillac and LaSalle cars equipped in production for this installation. Later expansion of activities probable. General Motors Radio Corp., Dayton, 0.

American Bosch—Screen grid set with cone speaker to be known as Bosch Motor Car Radio. Designed to avoid drilling of instrument board and opening of upholstery or lining in case of installation in new or used cars. American Bosch Magneto Corp., Springfield, Mass.

Several other companies have stated that sets were in process of design but not ready for announcement.

While a number of other car manufacturers are considering wiring for radio installations or negotiating for radio distribution by their dealers, makers of only six cars have given MoToR definite information, as follows:

Cadillac-LaSalle—All closed bodies wired in production for radio installation; dealers offered Delco Remy sets for installation as extra equipment. No plans for installations at factory.

Chrysler-Dodge Brothers—Chrysler 77 and 70 closed bodies and Dodge Senior brougham, coupe and landau sedan equipped in production for radio installation; dealers offered Transitone sets for installation in these or non-wired cars. Some radio installations being made at

Chrysler factory as special, extra-cost equipment. DeSoto will wire closed cars for Transitone on receiving special order.

Marmon-Roosevelt—All cars equipped in production for radio installation; dealers to be offered sets (make to be selected) for installation as extra equipment. No plans for installations to be made at factory.

Source: Motor Magazine, January 1930