When Ford first introduce the SYNC infotainment system in 2007, most people just sort of shrugged and said “Well that’s neat, but I don’t need all that crazy technological mumbo jumbo.” Flash forward five years and SYNC is now available on every Ford model, and millions of cars are now equipped with the system.
This has some people wondering about the future of in-car connectivity. Over at Mustang Heaven, they even go so far as to ask if the 2015 Ford Mustang will even have a CD player option.
It’s a legitimate question given the success of the SYNC system and the prominence of what has become known as “cloud computing.” Cloud computing stores things like music and GPS directions on a remote server i.e. “in the cloud.” Given the rise in MP3 players and phones that can store and stream music, compact discs seem to be on the verge of extinction, much like cassettes were a decade prior. CD players first appeared on the ’93 Mustang as a Premium Sound option, meaning it has been an option for a full twenty years.
That’s not to say CD players are doomed anytime soon; this is pure speculation. That said, Ford has been aggressive with its technological advancements, including the SYNC system, and it’s not so much a matter of if, but when, CD players are finally phased out. With the Mustang positioned as Ford’s most recognizable vehicle, it makes sense for that muscle car to do away with analog music players, and delve into the realm of cloud computing. Of course, CD players could always survive as a low-cost option like cigarette lighters and ash trays…or they could disappear altogether.
Do you still use a CD player? Or would you rather do away with compact discs and rely on “the cloud” instead?