Why have cars phased out the cd player?

Question

As a young person myself, it is a bit disappointing to see many car companies ditching the cd player altogether. One thing that impresses me is the technology that cars today have. The interiors in the new cars look very neat and to some level a bit luxurious even in cars from average brands such as Kia, Honda. The tablet in the middle of the dashboard above the air conditioning vents looks very sophisticated. My question is why couldn't the cd player stay if it is so small. I think most people would rather use Bluetooth to connect their phones to their cars and play the music that way. I also think that many people now listen a lot to SiriusXM and they don't listen as much to CDs the way they used to. But I still think that a CD player could still be a valuable option while at the same time retaining the modern technology in these new vehicles. Seems like Infiniti and Mercedes cars are the few brands that still use the cd player and those are luxury car brands. Coming from a CD music collector in his late teens. I do listen to a lot of 60s & 70s soul music.

Update:

Is there a way to play a cd in a car without a cd player? Regardless, I have no issues with using my smartphone to use Bluetooth for music. I too have satellite radio which I enjoy more than AM/FM radio. HD radio is cool.

jannsody · Answer

I actually prefer a cassette player for the car as I can make my own cassette from various songs (which may include from a cd :)

Anonymous · Answer

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Anonymous · Answer

As with EVERYTHING on new cars, they were eliminated to cut costs and make more profit PERIOD.

A radio with a USB port costs FAR less and since most millenials steal their music online, they need a way to play it from their phones or thumb drive

Anonymous · Answer

If you had asked this 20 years ago it would have been cassette players.
Its just that CDs are an obsolete technology thats rapidly disappearing, most drivers would rather that space be used for something more useful...if you want a CD player then any stereo shop will install one for you, they could even install a cassette player if thats what floats your boat.

Anonymous · Answer

These days you can buy a usb flash drive and put all you music on a flash drive and plugin it in to your car.

Anonymous · Answer

You are an exception.  People do not buy CDs anymore.

John Alden · Answer

Using Pandora, YouTube etc, etc I stream all the music I want and need. But not Sirius, that is a **** service and the device plugs in rather than using Bluetooth, so I can use Android Auto for control of music, maps etc, etc.. No need to carry a box full of CD's. Alternatively you can rip them and put them on a media stick and plug that in. I believe I could have paid extra for a CD player for my Subaru, but frankly, did not consider it.

megalomaniac · Answer

Just about every business these days wants you to have to go online to access their product.  The modern business model is to get you roped into an ongoing monthly payment instead of owning stuff.  I much prefer CDs myself.  You buy it once and you can use it as many times as you like.  Businesses hate that.  They want to keep you "plugged in" to their umbilical cord and keep paying for as long as possible.  I suspect that that is at the heart of it.

Why have cars phased out the cd player?

8 Answers